Third time's the charm?
by Simonana
Summary: Loki observes. Lies are so much easier to believe then truths. Infinity war spoilers.
1. Prolog

Dead.

He sighed to himself, by now he was getting to know it a lot more than it should be possible. Yet here he was, facing what he new would be his final moments.

Disjoined.

That how he would explain it if anyone would have believed the truth. No one does. No one tries. No one even ask. All just assume.

Loki sighed, he will not waste what he had left with thinking those type of thoughts. Anger is useless right now. Moving his hand through his hair. All are much more comfortable to believe a plausible lie than the unbelieving truths. Its a simple fact he learned as a kid long time ago. Sometimes he found it frustrating, sometimes he weaponized it.

Still...

He couldnt help it. He was watching himself as he was held in Thanos hand. Knowing his neck will be snapped any moment now. He was as good as dead. He could see his own lips move saying words. Words he wanted to say. Time so slow or fast? Wrapped...

He was standing by Thor side watching all of it like a observer ... no more like a ghost. A soul already out its body about to move towards death's arms...

Just like the first time, when he so clearly remember the fingers slowly, painfully slowly unwrapping from the staff as he hung off the rainbow bridge. Unable to do anything but disconnectly observe his death. His fall. Comment on it. How dramatic he made it, or how it wasnt fair, but at least he will be at peace.

He had to talk.

He had to fill the silence of dead.

Or else ... the fear would have consumed him as he kept falling. A blink of the eye was all it took, for him to no longer be on the bridge and observe his falling but to be floating beside his slowly dying body in the void between.

It wasnt painful.

That surprised him.

Because he knew how much this should bring him.

He knew how the branches worked, hew knew all the small cracks that would be gateways to other places. He knew how much pain they should bring him for simply staying in the void.

No pain.

Dying in the void...

It was only cold and sad. He watched how his once Asgardian skin slowly lost it color to become gray before becoming blue, revealing the Jotun underneath. The monster with red eyes and the riges markings he only in that moment got to see for the first time. He wondered if they meant anything...His eyes studied them carefully. Observing how they vanished under his robes. Distracting himself from the ever slowing heart.

He remember the sensation of when his last heartbeat occured. Like a sad whimper echoing in his cold veins.

He remember that he reached out to touch his death body, wanting to close the monsters red eyes. But he didnt dare it as he looked at them he saw tears frozen in those bright red eyes. His tears. Was he mourning himself... pathetic. No one else will shred the tears, so he did it for himself. Maybe his mother would... no not even she could after what he had to do... He simply was a truly unworthy could bet that even his memory would be lost. Maybe Odin will strike his records and pretend he was never even part of knew the old man had changed books in the past to adjust them to the situation. A casual read wouldnt notice but he knew all the books he could get his hands on by heart.

It was what he wanted in the end... wasnt it? To vanish. To never have been taken as a war prize in the first place. Everyone will be better off without him, and with out his kin. So that was a good thing, a beautiful thing. Yes. Yes it was. A good deed from a dead man that never even existed...

And so he died. Closed his spirit eyes to stop looking at his dead body lost in void.

It would have been the end of the story for everyone else, but for him it appeared to only be the end of a chapter.

Loki blinked, Thanos grip was reaching the moment it would make his neck snap. Time was feeling so still to him. So silent.

"I am sorry Thor, you have to watch me die a second time up close... at least when I fallen you were spared of that." Loki conversation spoke, knowing the blond could not hear him. Just like the last time he could not. He screamed at him really loudly that time in the dark elves realm.

"You know, dying hurt a lot less then getting resurrected. " He told Thor, his memory shifting to the big surprise of sudden pain. Being dead and feeling pain is quite a controdition, it hurts the mind in a way he couldnt even put in words. Silver tongue or not be damned. He much rather paint it like a boring and sudden experience then attempting to work thought that madness.

The pain itself on other hand, it was eating away on something that wasnt alive, forcing fire to singe his muscles until the cold could be felt. The skin being ripped across space like a sting about to break. Light forcing its way in the mind that didnt work. Forcing the brain pathways to see it even if they simply didnt work. Torture.

Shivers run down his spiritual back.

The torture that ends in an heart finally beating as if desperately trying to escape the pain. Becoming alive so it could run away from it. The first gasp he took burned, everything was too hot, too cold, to loud, too silent, too dark and too bright. Thanos words cut though it refocusing his mind and helping him relearn to use his senses in a moment.

"Little prince. " The first words said to his reborn self. "Welcome back, you impressed me. "

He hated those words, that voice, everything.

"You know Thor, Thanos heard what I did to the Jotuns world. Apparently he approved of it and was impressed with my determination to do what was needed for the well being of their world as much as Asgards. He told me I could understand his goals. The Jotuns world was so low on resources a near extinction of them was the best option for their world..."

There, finally.

His neck snapped. Loki tilted his head, observing in curiosity how his head dropped to one side. He knew Thanos would throw him in front of Thor to prove a point to his brother.

"He told me it was a waste for me to die yet when there is so much to be done to save life. I played along, just for a bit. To get a grip on myself... and to plan an escape from him. Well the rest you know I managed to talk him into giving me the mind gem and let me lead the take over of Earth with only a small portion of the available armies...I said to not waste the resources."

Loki turned away from looking at himself and sat in front of Thor. How he wished he could block Thors view of the scene behind him.

"I wish you could actually hear my last words... "

Loki fingers danced over his stomach, smiling softly as he remembered how his second death went. The death Thor was so sure he faked somehow. How disappointing must it be to hear that he truly didnt have a plan when he took the blow for Thor. That the trickster truly didnt have a master plan up his sleeve. That he truly died.

Watching as he was laying in Thors arms. The pain of his wound simply gone. The sensation so hauntingly familiar. He remember beggin Thor to promise him that he will save their people. That he will avenge Frigga. Mother... Though he wasnt sure what of those he said aloud and what he said as his spirit self. Thrown out his body to await dead.

Once more his skin was losing it color as he was bleeding out, the storm approaching the golden son left. Lokis heart has not yet fully stop. But it was better that way. Thor didnt have to see the Jotun form. He wished Thor had the sensibility, to cover him with his cape before he left. He didnt, of course. So he was left to watch his body being battered with the dust and sand as it become fully blue. Curiously he wondered if it will cover his body fully... like a natural burial.

How he was kinda glad that he managed to die at least on his own terms. How he briefly dared to feel happy how he managed to escape Thanos. He sat by his body smiling. The last heartbeat echoing in his ice cold veins. That time he didnt stay any time after it.

"Maybe I could not even linger... Whatever he did to me... whatever magic he used to resurrect me the first time, stayed in me. I wasnt planning to be alive. I didnt get a say in it as the torture started bringing me back to life and well...I admit I was in panic when I hatched the plan, to pretend to be still dead. I was so sure that I will hear his voice any second now."

Loki startled as time briefly snapped to normal speed hearing his body hit the ground like a bag of potatoes. His heart barely beating, his skin once more becoming more and more grey, soon it will approach the blue. He really wished to not have Thor see that part of his death. Thor face was in such anguish.

Time once more distorted.

"... I suppose I still have some time left. So where was I? Ah yes, I planned to pretend to be a royal guard, one whose body I saw when the dark elves attacked. I was sure I could pretend to be him and live a life under the radar so to say. I went to report my death, which was the truth to Odin. That was the reason his own magic didnt spot me giving a false report of my demise. Because I wasnt lying. What I didnt await was for him to all but leave the throne. So... I decided to help him with his wish for exile and left him in a good care home. Change his mind to feel like a human old man whose sons are happily living their life. That spell used so soon after my second resurrection took a lot out of me."

A proud smirk danced on his lips, he really proved his magical strength back then.

"I planned to make you king, and retire as Odin, and be your advisor. But no you had to say no to the throne. Really? What I was supposed to do? We cant leave our people without a king. So you have no right to be angry for ruling Asgard while you were off playing on earth."

Loki chuckled, yet the smile was a weak one. Thor was slowly moving towards his dead body.

"Funny thing my magic energy did run out just a moment after you turned you back. I sat there as me, Loki just waiting for you to turn around, see me and I would pretend it all has been part of my grand joke. A master plan of a trickster not a opportunist in panic and full on exhaustion. Yet, you never turned around Thor. You walked out and I sat on it dumbfounded with a perfect smirk on my face. I slept in our fathers bed the next ten days after that. Telling I was mourning."

The floor under him shivered giving in.

He stood up, Thor was bent over his dead body in tears. He felt it, it was getting close. He knew how he died. The marks of his heritage started to show. This time he couldnt find his peace... He will not close his eyes.

"No resurrections this time he said... I suppose it means he removed whatever he spell he used to keep me alive...I will finally stay dead... Thor... Brother. Please " He prayed to the allfathers for Thor to hear his words. His worry reared its head back up. "Promise me you will find a way to survive. Our people need you. I am dead. This time no one will care to bring me back to life. So I cannot help you any more. Please Thor live, become the sun that will give our people to their hope again..."

He reached out wrapping his ghostly hands around Thor. The explosion hit sending them tumbling out in space. His last heartbeat echoing in his ice cold veins while held in Thors arms.

"If I can I will try to stick at your side... maybe I will be able to? Yes, then even if you arent aware maybe you will feel my presence and not feel so alone... I never tried walking away from my dead body... I should really tried that sooner. I mean how often do you get to die normally..."

Maybe his words will reach him. Though they need a wonder either way. So much was lost...and a lot more will soon follow. Because that was what Thanos did...

He stayed by Thor side as their bodies floated in space. His own slipped out of Thors arms at one point.

Loki talked about everything and nothing. Plans hatching and repeating information he knew. Ever so often simply ranting. Filling the silence as time was slow, or fast or both. Only it mattered that was that he was still sticking to the other.

He watched with happiness and glee as Thor was saved by a ship. He followed in it to even allow himself to feel amusement in all of this tragedy in the interactions between the Star Lord and his crew and his brother. Yet when he followed the definitely not bunny, the tree and his brother in their small ship, approving of the idea of getting first weapons that could hurt Thanos before going for any form of revenge... Thought he would preferred if Thor instead searched out the surviving asgardians and take care of them first... But this could work out as well.

The small ship undocked and ...

Loki was left behind.

He tried to go after it.

It felt like he was pushing against a wall.

He screamed.

No one heard him.

It didnt take long before that ship with the second part of the crew left as well.

Loki was alone with his dead body.

He could not leave his body any further. He could not go even a inch more away. Well he learned about death something new. Defeated he settled to float by his own body side. Worrying with no ways to obtain answers.

Should he leave?

Should he stay?

Could he stay as long as he please?

Could he even move on?

Memories of the times he told his worries as story with an edge of humor and joke flooded his mind. His way of cooping. Without realising when he started he noticed that he was already halfway to turning this into a party story as well. Planning when to put dramatic pauses for the greatest effect. How to make his voice shake to lure emotion out. How to get place the words and what gestures to use to get the pity and the girls to want to save him. The grandmaster enjoyed the stories of his traumatic events told like that too... It was a somewhat healthy way to deal with his dreads and deads...

Loki could sworn there were moments the crazy man knew they were true stories and not made up as he presented them as. Other times he would declare everyone to dance to his music as nothing mattered.

He should have stayed in Saakar... But then his crazy sister would have killed all... The goddess of Death she called herself... Now Loki wondered if she ever died herself, or was she just that good at killing?...

Time had no point for the dead.

Lokis mind wandered, with nothing but dread, worry and memories to be his company.


	2. Paths crossed

She opened her eyes.

It was dark and cold. No, not completely dark, there were glistering of the stars far away. Their dead clam shine telling her she was still alive. She was floating in space. She sighed.

Well this was a horrible week.

She awaited to freeze, but she noticed she wasnt freezing. How quint.

Raising an eyebrow she started to make a count, she was alive. Alive because her magic still existed. Protecting her from freezing. Which made no sense. Her magic should been depleted with Asgard destruction. That was Thor plan to set Ragnarok in , no. He ordered it to set in motion, the other one, Loki started it.

Either way she will put it on her mental tab for her both brothers. So , back on the oddity of the moment. Why wasnt her magic completely gone? Instead it was really weakened...

She took a count of her limbs. One of her arm and leg were just bones, the flesh burnt off her bone. Surtur. She winced as she tried to move the bony fingers. A shimmer of her magic flooding her and the pain suppressed as a light illusion covering the ugly wound. Till she found a medical solution her magic will suppress the pain and protect from infection.

Well, that just adds reasons why this was the worst week she had in a long time.

She just got out her prison, dear, good, old horrible hypocrite, lying, selfish daddy finally moved to valhalla... She growled briefly before composing herself... His dead freed her and she meet two of her younger useless and pathetic brothers only to see how Odin spoiled and ruined Asgard. It needed a stern hand to remind them what are they suppose to be. Erasing her from the history, proud to have it ashamed to how he got it... It made her furious. She was only walking the way he set her on. Giving up on her the moment he chicken out.

And now have it all end in Asgard destruction and with the destruction of her home the destruction of any power and all magic she held. It would be her death. At least that what she awaited. She knew her home was gone she saw it falling to pieces up close. Surtur was no easy fight. It made her conffused to know that she still did have access to her magic? Weak dying access, but still it was there and it was the reason she was still breathing.

She lived.

Odin failed.

His sons failed in stopping her.

She always survives.

Like the woman who controls death. No one can force it upon her.

Well, it obviously meant she had to get answers. She shifted her body stopping herself from just floating away. Eyes closing she started to use her senses to see the pathways. She searched for the trail left of that spaceship. That cargo ship couldnt have gotten too far.

She wouldnt be Hela the goddess of death if she didnt show her opinion on killing her home to her dear darling siblings. At least one of them had to die by her hand to appraise her mood for this bad week. She spotted the trail, and started to follow it.

SHe caught up to the end of the trail a lot faster than planned.

Hela was not awaiting the view she was present with.

The ship destroyed, bodies of women, children and soldier that survived her were now floating around the metal pieces of trash formerly known as spaceship.

Her people.

Her stupid, ignorant people.

Her people she wanted to raise back to the glory that belonged to them.

Her people she wanted to teach to take what belonged to them back.

As their queen she yelled. He magic rippling through empty space carrying her promise to revenge the slaughter, like a unstoppable wave.

Her scream didnt went unnoticed to Loki.

Loki knew he was being slightly silly. He was dead. He turned his head to the side where he saw his dead body float slowly carried by same inertia like everything else. He was still dead. Even so his ghost self how he perceived it, as he lingered after his own death, was hiding behind a chunk of ship observing Hela scream.

He felt her furious angry magic before she even came into the view. Well she survived Asgard destruction. How nice. He sarcastically commented to himself. As if Thor didnt have enough on his plate now he will have to fight her again for the thorn that doesnt exist to lead the people who barely had any survivors left.

He watched her as she observed the wreckage.

Her hair was singed and a mess of wild and untamed locks, he could tell that her magic was covering half her face as well as a leg and arm. Possible injuries from Ragnarok. She knew how to patch up herself on a near instinctual base. Interesting.

Not like he could use what he learned any longer... yet the learning felt comforting. Much better than the gnawing worry and the numbing relieving of emotions. Her clothing was intact more or less, magic fix. Then came the yell. The promise for revenge for her people and that irked him.

He felt the words carried by magic and could not hold back from snapping. "Your people?! I remember quite vividly you slaughtering them a day ago!"

"Just the idiots and stubborn."

Hela spoke in a huff of magic, as she floated pass the place he was hiding to inspect a childs body. The kid could be no older than the age Asgardians take the wooden swords up for the first time.

Loki looked away, this shouldnt have happened. Just a week ago for this kid, he was most likely watching theater, and debating if he should be a warrior like Odin or a great master of magic like Loki... He liked how he managed to raise the status of education in the golden city. He felt pride when he was asked by an old teacher if he can open a class for all the kids who wanted to become like the great Loki, and wanted to learn magic.

Now?

Now... nothing was left of that dream...

"Who did this?" Hela wondered aloud and Loki moved to float at her side. It was haunting her... Her eyes searching the bodies... counting them...

"Half of the Asgardians, probably more..." Loki provided, he didnt dare to count them. He started but when he came to 10 and he saw the nice maid who were making his chambers. The youngest sister in a family of seven, it hurt too much so he stopped.

"The mad Titan did this... Thanos."

"He will pay."

"He already has two infinity stones, he is out to get them all...I dont think you have a chance right now."

"I see." She frowned and Loki blinked raising an eyebrow. Did she just answered him? Before he could wonder about it all Hela suddenly pushed herself off a piece of metal directly towards a body as if she spotted something she searched.

He followed her to see that it was his body she aimed to reach. Not that she could cause him more harm, as he was dead. Thanos snapped his neck. Still it was unnerving him to see her turn his corpse... not a body but a corpse. Her eyes grew big in a surprise.

"You were a Jotun? And you dared to call youself my brother? Tch... " Yeah, she didnt know, Loki realized and he looked at her briefly curios. Allowing his mind to dabble in what ifs. Only for a moment thought. "Thought you were too crafty for them.. and way too short."

"Hey! Its not my fault Odin took me as a baby and just raised me as an asgardian to be... as his own kid, covering my heritage...An icicle that melted his heart. " A brief memory of Odin came to his mind of when he told him that his birthright was to die, how much it took for him not to scream back at Odin that he already did fulfilled his birthright then... Yet, he knew any words would have been lost on him then... so he didnt told him how right he was...Allowing everyone to believe he somehow made a master plan and tricked everyone into believing him dead.

A touch on his neck snapped him back to the now. Hela was inspecting his snapped neck. Her fingers ghosting over the blue skin and he felt her fingers on his spirit self. Uncomfortable he touched his neck trying to get rid of this feeling. He didnt usually feel anything his dead body did, his corpse felt. So right now he was deeply unsettled why he was feeling her touches. Was she casting some magic? Trying to bring him back to life?... He was so not ready to be tortured into life again.

"Could you stop touching me?!"

"I am trying... to assert how badly the damage was to your body. Therefore I need to touch you."

Hela spoke to him, she turned her head to his spirit self and gave him a look over and then went back to feeling his neck up. This time her touches were lingering and deliberately doing it slower, causing the uncomfortable shivers to pass over his spirit self stronger. Yet, that didnt matter. She looked at him.

She looked AT HIM.

"You can see me!? Hear me?!"

She rolled her eyes. " I am taking the crafty comment back. Sadly you appear to be just as stupid. I am the goddess of dead and you, brother dearest are dead. " Loki could see her smile in amusement to herself. He couldnt believe her. In a battle field between all the corpses of her people she found it appropriate to... Then humon is a way to deal with tragedy. Was she cooping or was she simply insane?

"You did that on purpose!"

"Of course I did. But its annoying you cannot leave from your corpse too far. " With that she sighed and took his corpse under her arm starting to move in a direction. Loki blinked, wondering how she knew that. He replayed any grumbling he may voiced believing no one could hear him. He didnt mention it. So somehow she knew. He realized she wanted to drag him around as he felt a pressure on his back growing as she was getting further away from his stunted ghost self. He wouldnt have a chance to not follow her. On the other hand she was alive, pissed at Thanos and maybe with her he could get to Thor... or at least find out why he was a spirit lingering. Was he doing something wrong with dying?

Giving the people left behind a last look Loki started to follow after Hela.

"What do you plan to do?"

"You dont question your goddess." She was definitely having fun with this situation. As she was flying into space and away from the wreck of their people... Looking from the corner of his eyes at her he could guess that she was in need for a conversation partner. He choose to stay silent, testing the idea he was getting. He was right. Several minutes of the hunting silence, she spoke first. Did all this time she didnt have anyone to talk with? She was locked up even before he was born... Loki allowed a small victory shout in his mind, she was starved for social interactions. He could understand that feeling quite well. He could use it against her.

"Are you curious on what I will do with you or to Thanos?" She spoke slowing just a bit down.

"Both." He answered her in earnest.

"Hm... no. You have to pick one." Of course she would make him pick, like some kind of game... he could play games.

"Then to him." He spoke keeping his most serious face on.

"Really? You want to know rather what I do to him, then what I may do to you?" She slowed down even more, nearly stopping to look at his spirit self. She reminded him of a cat about to pounce him. A bluff?

"... I am already dead, what can you possible do to me?"

Wrong answer, calling her bluff, he realized as her grin spread in a near maddening glee. Her fingers caressed the side of his corpse face, glowing slightly green and black and in the next moment it felt like fire burned on his spirit face. He screamed from shock more so then the pain. The fire vanished. He felt breathless. He blinked, forcing himself to think... no this wasnt pain, he ...those were memories of pain placed on his ghost face.

The feeling of burning as if one would remember... not as one would experience... Even thought the pain was all in his head, it still made him remember the horrendous pain of resurrection. Memories of that time...yet... it felt different than what Thanos did to him. DId to resurrect him... He focused on the difference, trying to anchor himself, the dullness came to his mind. It was dulled compared to experience. The memory was only a dulled with time faded sensation then actual pain that rips his mind appart.

"Now, to answer you. I plan to destroy Thanos and take those infinity stones for myself. Taking over the rest of the universe will be easier that way. As well I find it more preferable me ruling it then him destroying half of it. Wouldnt you agree." He looked at her, she was studying him.

"Goddess of dead. Of course I can touch the dead. You dont even know what all is possible." She repeated to him before she winked and pushed herself to go faster. Forcing Loki to either be dragged or to fly after her once more. Distracting him from his own memories and emotions. He was kinda glad for the distraction she provided at that moment.


	3. Filling the silence

They didnt travel for long before Hela started to speak again, it was just when Loki was getting composed from the shock. Starting to analyze and think what could she possibly want from him beside having an ear to talk to. Then maybe that was enough for someone who was isolated for so long.

"So how did you got that statue build of yourself? It did made me wonder."

"Oh, that... well I ruled Asgard so I ordered it build to honor my dead self." He conversationally spoke, dismissing it half hardheartedly. Hela raise an eyebrow clearly wanting clarification. So he provided a bit.

"Well the people didnt know I was alive. I was pretending to be Odin."

"That explains why you sounded so much like him. As well it means you did died before, and I wondered where that sensation came. "

"Sensation?" Loki curiosly asked, full aware that for the moment it appeared she didnt mind him asking her goddess of death questions.

"Like scars, its rare. Truthfully there are barely any Asgaridans who would willfully cling to that pathetic state you are doing now. Closer to none actually. Regardless how big of burden they may have, or regret they may feel, they all move on. Rushing off. So how did you die the first time around? " Hela explained as if she was teaching basic facts like sky is blue, and Loki looked away from her.

"Isnt it good now for you that I am not an Asgardian..."

"You present youself as one. A soul cannot lie on what it is. Regardless of the shape of its own body."

Was that comforting words from her? Loki blinked at her, head snapping towards her trying to spot some reason why she would do that. She had a good blank face. He couldn't look behind it at the moment. So he decided to tell her. It would be nice to tell someone who could hear and even believe him.

"..I died two times before now, actually. First time Thanos resurrected me from a dead in the void. I fall in a broken portal."

'' Just fall? ''

'' I let go, fully intended to end my story there. ''

Strange how easy it was to admit it, tell it without mocking or knotting it in a story no one would believe to begin with... Loki didnt realize that he was silent for several minutes until hela spoke up, drawing him back to the moment.

"Which method did he use? " That was curiosity in her voice, the same type he would hear in an academic testing if a student invented something new or old.

"A spell I presume, I was most of the time of his spell casting dead you know. So I was not exactly aware of what was used... it stayed in effect thought even when I died a second time. Bringing me back after I saved Thor by getting stabbed in his place."

"Interesting."

Loki couldnt resist adding the question as she was appearing to think it over.

"So... can you do it too? I saw the dead soldiers not being all that dead..."

"Not without an artifact to assist me, to channel my intentions. The eternal flame is one way, but it doesnt revive one when they die a second time."

"Oh..." The flame was destroyed with Asgard so that method of getting back to life will not work... Why was he thinking of living again? He even died a warriors dead. Fighting the enemy in his own way. If he did he would only risk his life again with the fighting going on. Hela broke his steam of thoughts once more. Loki began to feel wary, he was not usually drifting off with his memories this often... was this a side effect of being death or hanging around Hela?

"There are countless artifacts who do some form of resurrection or another. Some methods are more desirable than others on the mind and soul of the one brought back."

"How nice to know that not all resurrection feel like being tortured into life."

Silence settled for a bit, before he couldnt contain his curiosity any more. He needed to know. To know if life was an option or not.

"Will you bring me back?"

"You pick to know what I will do about Thanos. Not you. " She smirked, just as he awaited she was playing games with him. Boredom does a lot. He signed himself to play her game.

"Ah come on, I am dying from curiosity here. Give me a hint, I promise I will not tell a soul." He winked with a thumb up. To add an effect. Wondering if talking to her so normally was getting him points in her books.

Hela laughed, at his joke no less. It was surprisingly normal sounding. He must admit he awaited some nerve chilling laugh, or some evil cackling not a normal laugh. It took him off guard. He found himself smiling, if things were different, he could imagine the two of them getting along, teasing the golden boy. If only things didnt went as horrible... If only Odin didnt like to hide and lock up his problems and mistakes up. What would it be like to grow up with a sister like her? Would he be in her shadows as well? Or would have Thor outshined them both, so he wouldnt be alone in the shadows...

Suddenly her laugh stopped. Her head snapping to the side.

The mood shift was jarring how fast it was. How aburt it came.

Her face looked like a wolf about to bite a lambs neck open. Blood thirsty and predatory like a cat. She looked excited in all the wrong ways. Serious she slowly blinked and pushed herself of into a different direction then they traveled before.

"What? What did you spotted?"

He asked not really awaiting she would give him an answer whatsoever how much she was focused at her task.

"A dying whisper."

"You heard a dying whisper?"

"And it mentioned the name Thanos." She added and Loki closed his own eyes as he was being dragged after his body still under her arm. He felt the cold, it felt comforting dull how it was... He pulled strength from the clamminess and focused to be alert. Whatever they were to face he had to be ready. Hela was not to trust, not an ally but she would be preferable than Thanos. He would assist her in taking down the mad titan, maybe win her trust so he could betray her out the infinity stones. Trick her into giving them up, or give them to Thor. With them he could lock her up again...Or something else perhaps...

Maybe find a solution that wouldnt be cataclysmic in a few millennia. Loki caught himself just before he wondered what would make her happy... Must be his father character poking his head out, the role of a good father Odin, an understanding Odin, and benevement Odin... The role of Odin he played that he wished he had as a father.


	4. Boarding

It must have been only minutes before the small ship that belonged to Thanos came in the view. Just seeing it made memories he rather forget come to the frontforth of his mind. It was traveling fast. They would miss it. Loki looked at Hela for what her plan was as well as a form of distraction away from the Others voice whispering and promising. They only had seconds. Hela shifted his blue corpse around to have a better grip on it, ignoring his questioning look. A sword was summoned in her free hand now. In a move that must have been practiced millions of times before she elegantly turned around her own axis and let the sword fly faster then he cold blink. It took him only a half a moment to notice the chain attached to it. The chain she was holding on. The sword bore itself in the hull of the ship just as it was passing by them. Like a hook in a big game.

The tug that followed made him feel like he actually face first slammed into the spaceship hull. He knew he didnt as his hands have sunk into the ship hull up to the elbow. Startled he pulled them out. Getting reoriented he saw Hela standing on the hull holding onto her sword buried in the ship. He could all but see her debating if she should spent time to sneak aboard or crack it open and simply jump in. His body still in her grasp, hold thigh. He really would prefer if she didnt get in a fight where his poor corpse get damaged or cut to pieces, he had no idea how that would affect him. Call it sentimental. So sneak on board it was.

"Let me check ahead, no one but you can see me anyway, right?"

Hela finally gave him her still couldt exactly tell what was on her mind. He added.

"I could scout how many enemies are on the ship, tell you their numbers and positions. "

"You could lie to me."

Loki blinked at her. A tired sigh leaving him. Why would he lie to her? Maybe after Thanos but not before. Not until they dealt with that mad titan. Could she not get that? He was on purpose letting his emotion be truthful. She should be able read him as easy as day... yet... Was she underestimating Thanos? How dangerous he is?

"Believe me sister. "He stressed that word as he said it, testing if she would deny him that or not. She did hold onto a corpse of a Jotun runt. Believing in Asgard superiority over all others... When she didnt appear to protest him saying that she was his sister Loki continued on. Interesting, he smoothly talked. "You are much dearer to me than Thanos."

"You better hurry then. I am not fond of waiting. " She said the words with neutral, dont care voice and Loki tried to phrase thought the hull or any material for that matter in his death existence. It worked really easily actually. Which was somewhat unnerving. As if he wasnt even there... like he was a figment of imagination...A smirk appeared on his face, entertaining the chaotic thought brierley. If he was a figment of imagination, the most logically he would be Helas at the moment, which would be fascinating. Especially as to why would she create him from all people to keep company with. Because he sounded like Odin in the first moment they meet? Even so he found himself to be quite elaborate for a figment of imagination...

It would mean the real Loki was dead and not having the worrying existence he had now. Lucky guy.

Alas...

A nice lie to spin to himself. It was fun. Sadly, the truth was as cruel and unbelieving as always. He passed through another wall, feeling a gently tug as he was getting further away from his corpse.

A interesting power to have indeed. He hurried on to check who pilots the ship. Which of Thanos children it was. He he hoped it was a weaker one. He was betting that Hela meant what she said that she didnt like waiting. He knew the layout of these ships so getting to the control room was quite easy actually.

He never believed he would be happy to see those people being there. Before he could even call out he heard behind him a loud noise. Noticing that the pull completely vanished a bit ago. Oh...

"Really?! It took me a minute to come to the pilot cockpit and you decide that was too much time to wait and you just slash your way inside?" Loki complained just as Hela walked in the room, others on the ship on high alert. In one hand his corpse being dragged along, the other her sword ready to cut more things. She gave a brief look over them.

"Hello."

She told them and Loki panicked. In that moment he finally got to see what was on her mind behind those burning eyes of hers. Not a moment too early. "Dont kill them! They are on our side! Against Thanos. And dont tell them to knee!" She closed her lips, Loki was positive those would have been her next words if he didnt intervened.

"Lady I dont know who you are but..."

"Just tell them your Thanso plans, and try to be nice. They can be from use. They dont look it, but they can." Loki provided fast, praying to anyone willing to hear him that Hela will take his advice. His consult. Apparently in dead he had more luck then in life as she apparently did.

"I want to destroy Thanos, darling. You?" Hela spoke cutting the others off. He didnt like the smirk she had on her face as she was looking the 3 humans in greater detail over now. Inspecting their gear with curious eyes.

Loki was glad he was dead, because he was sure if he were not he would have a heavy headache right now.

* * *

On other hand Tony Stark was not dead and was having a headache. Just a few minutes ago they dealt with that follower of Thanos and decided to get the fight to him. He was worried about Peter, didnt want him to play backup which the boy offered, but hoped the boy will do well anyway. Knowing he will have to completely rely on him and getting him a horrendously dangerous situation. They were only the 3 of them.

May so going to strangle him, then Pepper would strangle him as well.

So much about having a dream about babies.

Peter had the head full of ideas and heart on the right place. Quick tinker and what he lack on experience he made up with movie references. Tony took deep breaths planning how to ensure they win, only to have yet another explosion force them on high alertness.

Not even several seconds a woman walked in, sword in hand and a blue guy's body dragged in the other.

DId she kill that one? Was that another passenger on the ship? Didnt spot them in his sweep, Firday didnt spot them either. Where did they come from?! Outside? Magic portal opening? Which may mean Tesseract. Ergo Thanos follower. Holding her on aim and standing in front of Spider man Tony spoke. She appeared to simply look over them.

"Lady I dont know who you are but..." Tony started, the wizard had it spells ready. Good, he was on the same page as him. Peter tilted his head towards her not going into a battle stance.

"I want to destroy Thanos, darling." She cut him short. Oh, that was convenient.

"This ship belongs to Thanos, right?" The lady said looking over the cockpit idly as if she wasnt on aim by them.

Tony shared a look with the wizard, neither of them lowered their aim from her. Briefly from the corner of his eyes he could spot nervously turning his head to check behind him. Good thinking, check if she had allies sneaking up on them. Thought he would liked if he went into a battle readiness as well.

"Yes it did." Tony answered simply.

"You killed Thanos subordinates that were on this ship." She stated more then asked, tilting her head towards the wizard. The wizard answered her anyway.

"And what if we did?"

"Good, it means you arent useless to me." She stated stepping closer.

"Look Scary lady with sword, but we didnt caught your name" Peter started but the woman cut him off again.

"I will allow you to ally with me as we share a common goal. Stark is it? Do you vouch for the two people with you? " She spoke looking at her sword now, as if inspecting it for damage. And Tony showed his face, slightly perplexed how an alien lady, because she had to be alien lady to appear right now right here. Looking as attractive and was her hair singed? ... How did she knew his name, and even went so far as to value his word?

"You know her?" Peter asked him and he shook his head.

"No I do not. I dont think I do... I didnt introduce myself so how do you know my name." He asked the woman who let her sword vanish, using the now free hand to adjust her singed hair. Frowning annoyingly at the burned tips. So her hair was singed. She took a few seconds to just stand there, giving a small nod to herself.

"What happened? Escaped some fire and brimstone?"

Tony spoke trying to gauge her reaction.

"Yes." A moment of silence. "Quite literally, for a fact." She turned her head to him and smiled pleasantly. Yet, seeing that smile made him want to get away from her. Something was seriously off.

"By a ghost of a chance I heard of you. You are quite famous Tony Stark. So are the people with you trustworthy? I will not repeat myself again."

"Yeah they are. Thats spiderman and the man over there is the wizard." Tony spoke, his heart going faster with each syllables spoken. Nerves laying flat.

"Doctor Strange" The wizard corrected. "And your name?"

She appeared to think about it. "Hela." She said smiling like she was enjoying introducing herself, "I am a queen and Thanos killed half of my people."

"Sound about what he would do..." Tony said slowly lowering his aim, it appeared there was no imminent danger.

"I am so sorry, must been awful to have that happen..." Peter the good boy said, yet Tony was more stuck up on the bit she mentioned before. The wizard slowly lowered his hands too.

"You mentioned a condition." The wizard spoke and Tony nodded, glad he wasnt the only one to remember that.

"Indeed, how refreshing someone alive is actually listening to me. " She waved her empty hand dismissively to the side, before she pointed to Doctor Strange. "I want to have that little infinity stone you carry on plain display used to turn back time and revive my brother here. He wasnt dead for long it should be in the stone capability to turn back time enough for him to live again. That is my condition."

The woman Hela said pointing to the blue body she was holding on. There was a short moment of complete silence.

"He is blue." Peter pointed out.

"He is adopted." Tony blinked something in the way she just said that felt familiar, like seriously familiar, but he could not right now place his finger on why. Strange spoke up.

"How did he die?"

"He tried to kill Thanos." The wizard nodded and started to do his magic stuff, Hela dropped the body face down and looked somewhere left of him, left of Peter, exactly where Peter was staring at, before the boy shook his head and looked forward. The woman eyes were near predatory fixing the spider boy and Tony couldnt help as he approached her so he would stand in the way between her and Peter. Drawning her attention on him instead of the spider.

"Well, whats your brother name, your highness? " She ignored the question.

Her focus finally shifted from Peter to him and then back to the body that was becoming less blue? It, he started to move on his hands and knees. Now, he had normal skin. Breathing heavily he looked up and meet Tony eyes.

"Surprise." The man deadpanned, sounding bored and out of breath...

"Loki!" Tony only managed to call the mad gods name before a sword went clean thought his chest. A few drops of blood spattering against his red armor. Loki was still on his knees his eyes gone big in surprise. Loki gasped, blood slipping thought his lips, head lowering to see the sword sticking directly out his heart. Helas sword Tony realized. Eyes went glassy and Lokis head lolled forward. Tony couldnt do anything but be stunned into silence. She on the other hand tugged the sword out with a sickening pop. Fast and easy.

A moment passed.

Peter shoot web towards her.

"Why did you kill him!" Strange shouted just as Hela used the bloody sword to ward off the web shootings, cutting them like nothing.

Tony was confused, head hurt, spinning. This was maddening. He did notice that she had yet to attack them, as she simply lazy defended herself. That didnt sit well with him. Was she Thor sister as well if she called Loki brother? He started to feel annoyed with Thor family. Really annoyed. Did all of them beside Thor was stubby? And since when did he even had a sister? A murderous crazy sister?!

He is so demanding Thor family tree and list of all relatives from him the next time they see each other. But now he had to ensure his kiddo dont get himself stabbed too. Tony powered the repulsor and took aim...


	5. Point of view

AN Sorry for the wait, next chapter coming sooner. Enjoy R&R ^^

* * *

Loki was floating around the group as he gave a quick run down to Hela. Hoping she plays along. He mentioned how Tony is friends with the green beast named Hulk, and if Banner made it to earth he may told them about her. So could she please just make up a name. Helen would work just fine.

She smirked and introduced herself anyway as queen Hela. Loki groaned and her smile grew. She enjoyed it, proving she does what she want, that he should not be in illusion that he was anything more then offering an opinion. He was so sure Tony would start panicking after hearing her name but...he didnt... Did Bruce not made it to Earth? A worry settled. He counted on having the beast help protect the mind stone left on Earth... yet...

No reaction, on top she pointed out that apparently the annoying wizard had the time stone. He should have paid more attention and try to steal it. He couldnt believe it was in front of his face and he didnt recognize it. He could have done so many things with the time stone in Asgard. He groaned once more. He could have given up on tesseract as a diversion, run away to draw him away and then turn the time back for his people.

"Indeed, how refreshing someone alive is actually listening to me. "

"Really now? Why dont you spell out to them you are the goddess of death and make them your enemies as well." Loki huffed having Hela wave him off, as if his complain was stupid. He wanted to continue protesting but his words died on his lips as she spoke what her condition was. She wanted to bring him back to life? She actually wanted him alive... He looked at the wizard, and back at her, she didnt demand to use the stone herself but insisted the wizard do it. He couldnt stop himself from feeling thankful and hopeful.

Loki stayed silent reminding himself that she killed his people, and she most likely only wanted him alive so she didnt have to drag his corpse around...

"He is adopted." The kid with Tony mentioned his blue skin and and Hela replayed and Loki sighed. "Great you sounded exactly like Thor right now. "

"How did he died?" Loki looked away from Hela and sighed once more. Why did this had to drag on, just bring him back or give up on it... Still he felt obligated to answer for Hela.

"Well I tried to decapitate Thanos or at least cut his neck open." He explained floating back towards Iron man and behind of the kid. Letting Hela say what she wanted. The way Tony was trying to shield the oblivious boy must mean he cared for him. Which made Loki curious about the kid. Was he Tony son? No, he was too old to be Starks own son... did he get adopted? Suddenly the kid turned towards him, before shaking his head and turning back to look at Hela who was observing them both. Loki didnt have any time left to wonder if the kids senses were so keen to feel his spirit as he suddenly wasnt outside his body.

Inside.

A shiver.

Inside his chest.

Brief shudder of his heart.

Inside his body, feeling the heartbeat start up, the sensation of his neck breaking vanishing. It was warm, comforting cold emptiness retreating as his power flowed through his very being. He breathed in, feeling light headed. Like he just broke the water surface. No torture.

So refreshing. Shivers run down his spine. He looked up and there was Tony.

So he couldnt resist to deliver his most deadpan voice possible.

"Surprise."

The face Tony made was just as good as Bruce on Saakar. He was about to raise his hands and thank them for bringing him back. The annoying wizard reaction would be sure delicious amusing...

Pain.

Sharp piercing pain.

His heart stopping so much faster as it was unable to beat around the pain.

Shouts and he looked down at himself.

Oh.

Hela killed him.

Yes that made sense.

He blinked he was out his body again.

Just a spirit once more.

Turning around he saw her draw the sword out of him allowing his body to fall down.

Surprisingly the quickest death yet.

The last echoing beat of his heart coming even faster than the ice cold of his birth form.

"Let me guess that was for not kneeling when we first meet. But why did you have to kill me?! Couldnt you I dont know kick me or something less deadly? "

She easily ward off some white sticky balls? Webs of some sort?

"Its not like he cant turn time back again." Hela spoke rolling her eyes, pointing to doctor Strange. Just great, now they knew he was Loki and may not even revive him... Which would mean it irritating Hela and who knows what she may do. Kill them most likely. He knew she was strong, but he felt it briefly in the moment he lived and his magic danced under his skin... she was wounded...That worried him, but he had yet to think about in which way it was worrying. The group stopped briefly, the moment of silence broken by the boys voice.

"But why did you ask doctor Strange to bring him back if you just killed him off?" The kid asked in a hurried tone. Iron man holding her on aim.

"Yes, why?" Loki added, really hoping this somehow resolve with no extra bodies. Since when did he hope so much ...

"It was therapeutic for me. I had to kill at least one of my siblings to feel better. They are idiots you see. Loki's bad luck I came across him first." Hela explained herself before she tilted her head. "Tony, you look like you could let some tension off. Want to kill him too? Its really satisfying." Tony blinked before he shoot her, it actually hit her causing her to get push back a bit. And there it was... she looked hungry. Not much different then a wolf about to bounce on a rabbit... It definitely didnt help that Tony spoke with his big mount.

"Why is everyone from Thor family bat shit crazy? "

"Blame our dearest daddy." Hela snarled back. Loki briefly nodded, wondering if Odin was bad and changed for better or was always good but just made bad choices... He never gonna get to know now... But first.

"No, no. Dont kill them!" Loki waved in front of her but she slashed her sword to the left and directly through him, and he was pushed off to the side as if wind blowed him away. Loki looked up only to see her launching herself at Tony. The man reacted in time to block her sword with a shield that grew out his armor. Sadly she cut it off in half.

Yet, the moment the two parts started falling Hela received web in her face and golden magic chains to try and restrain her wrapped around her.

This was bad. Loki called after her to stop it, but it looked too much like she was in a blood rush to care. It reminded him too much of a Thor in battlefield in his young days drunk off the fight to hear him. The humans would not last against her.

The chains burst off her form and she easily pulled the web off her eyes. He tried to distract her but each time he approached her she would swing at him and push his ghost self off and away.

He watched as the wizard was sent flying off to the side and leaving Iron man to try and hold up against her. She overwhelmed him, causing him to be pushed against the wall. She marched with purpose towards him. Each step a deliberately show of power and know your place insect. The kid, spider man lurched at her, aiming and punching her. He felt the force of the punch, the kid was strong. Surprisingly able to hold off Helas own sword that swung into his side.

Few kicks and sword swings were exchanged, the boy back flipping over it to try and hit her again. It was a wonder. Stark picked a good kid for himself. Spiderman had the strength and speed but he lacked combat training as Hela easily knocked him off, by using the oldest trick in the book faking her next hit to be a punch and kicking him in the chest instead.

It all lasted barely several seconds, yet to his spirit self the time wrapped making it seem like minutes have rushed by. "Stop it Hela, we need them for now!"

Loki sighed as his plea hit deaf ears. So this was it? She was once more approaching Iron man. Who was twitching in place... Ah, magic restraints. He didnt saw her cast it...

"Please stop this ... Focus on Thanos, you can after that teach the mortals a lesson if you want... We need more allies."

Stark tried to shoot her again even when he was held in the green holding spell. Loki could only watch, a stray thought occurred to him, how now he would not get the drink the man owned him.

Loki didnt get another chance to try and tell her to stop as he was surprised by what happened next.


	6. Allies

Tony may have been slightly in panic right about now. All his systems were locked down. What ever was holding him down was not allowing the nanobots to adapt. Friday was unable to do anything. It was like he was in a metal coffin. Nothing worked, which was the worst outcome. Was it somehow going into his suit code, or mechanical problem?

Not, helping that knowing that would somehow help the not operational nanobots and Hela looked positively thirsty for his head. How did this turn so bad? They were on the way to fight Thanos the guy out to kill half of life ...so, how did he end up fighting a crazy sibling of Thor again?! He was just waiting for her to throw him out the space window. He would actually prefer Loki at this moment, at least he was up for banter. Hela was not responding much to anything he was saying.

"Beg in front of the goddess of death. "Oh, now she decided to speak. He rolled his eyes despite the situation. She was raising her sword slowly, drawing out this moment. He hoped Peter gets away from this crazy. Even if they were in the middle of space, the boy going to figure something out. Tony eyes traveled the room, he knew Peter was sent off flying somewhere to the left... The wizard had to make a portal to escape with Peter...The wizard was in the back of the room... Peter could get to him if he hugs the wall... or crawls on it. Please think of that. Please dont try to be a hero and save him. Pepper will be so angry at him for dying... The sword rushed to his face. He stared open eyed at it. He will not close his eyes in the last moment of his life.

He is not closing his eyes ever.

Blackness.

He died...

No... no wait...

That was... black fur?

He blinked to make sure his eyesight and suit cameras were working, as he looked thought the HUD that in fact there in front of him was a big wolf. A horse sized wolf. A wolf that was standing between him and the crazy lady. Shielding him from the crazy lady? Whatever the spell was that hold him down, vanished and Tony didnt waste time to stand up and see that indeed a big wolf was shielding him from the death blow, whit Hela frozen in mid blade just half a inch from the wolfs neck.

There was a wolf.

"... Fenrir..." She growled and the wolf growled back. It tail slowly moved brushing against his armor, as if to check on him, to make sure he was alright.

Great he was reading into a wolfs movements. A horse sized wolf on a spaceship that appeared out of nowhere... Was it the wizard? Who was he kidding. A wizard always did it!

"How dare you... how dare you take on his image." Hela lowered the sword eyes wild. Tony moved a bit back to have a chance of avoiding any random attacks. The wolf shifted to keep him behind itself. Beside the fact there was a horse sized wolf, it appeared it was trying to protect him. Then as if to prove a point the wolf looked briefly over giving him a nod before eyes trailed towards Spiderman who was trying to stand up and get his bearings, Doctor Strange by the kid side. They were both on the left. The wizard moved towards the kid.

Good.

Sure he can get back to them while the wolf keeps her attention on himself. It was what the wolf indicating him to do. Why a wolf? Since when was he understanding wolfish? He stepped to the side and the wolf followed in an arc, never leaving Hela out it sight. Keep on covering Tony. He should have stayed in bed today, catch on the sleep and went to have another of the baby dreams... He really liked the baby dream.

Tony rushed to Peter and Strange side. "You okay kiddo?"

"Yeah I just got a bit banged up. Kicked the air out of me." Peter responded and Tony let a breath out he wasnt aware he was holding in. Peter was doing good. That sorted, now was left the weird stuff.

"Good, oversize wolf?" Tony looked at the wizard who shrugged. As if he had no idea why a horse sized wolf stopping Hela. Yet, seeing Tony stare at him the wizard rolled his eyes and answered him as if anyone would understand it.

"Loki." Tony uncovered his face so he could stare at the wizard some more, before he turned around to look at the black wolf wondering if that was one of the powers Loki had and Thor forgot to mention. Second why did he never use that power before? Becoming a big wolf would sure of helped in the battle of New york... In that moment the wolf started to shrink until Loki was standing there. Hands raised to placate Hela.

"We good now?" He spoke all careful smiles, slightly shaky on his feet actually...

She sighed theatricality. "This started to bore me anyway. I will be resting, wake me when we get to our destination. So I can kill this Thanos. "

"Of course, my queen."

"Oh, please save your lying breath or I will save it for you." And Hela walked off. To the right, opposite from where they were. Good. Loki didnt move until she was out the view, once she was gone he relaxed.

"Well look at that this didnt went half as bad as I feared." The trickster looked over the three humans giving them a thumbs up. Loki smug visage was irritating him. Tony walked up to him and throw a single punch at his face. It just happened. Like his hand slipping. Really one moment he was by Peter side the next one he was punching Loki.

"She is right it is therapeutic. " Tony said readying himself for retaliation, that didnt came as Loki was rubbing his stricken cheek and pouting at him?... Tony blinked. Yup that was a pout. Either he was finally loosing a few marbles or things were seriously getting weird.

"A little bit of thanks would do good. I was dead just a minute ago, and then saved your life the next."

The wizard behind him sighed and floated up. "How about thanking me for bringing you back Loki?...The last time I saw you were in Norway with Thor to fetch your father. Thor promised he and you would leave earth. So I would rather like to know how we came from that to here."

Loki glanced over to the ship navigation before looking at the wizard. When Norway? Loki was in Norway to fetch his father, Was he not informed about Thors family meet up?

"Sure, the ship autopilot shows anyway we have more than enough time for some stories but before ..." Loki turned back to Tony, who was ready to block a punch, except... Loki opted to ask him an out of the blue question." Do you by any chance know Tony... if Bruce made it to Earth?" Loki questioned out of nowhere. Good to know he could read the alien writings. His mind supplied trying not to go into an another what the hell, he couldnt mean his Bruce and since when were they all on first name basis?

Loki simply couldnt mean his Bruce, then again Bruce warned them about Thanos. Loki was apparently killed by Thanos. Those events could be connected. The wizard opened his mount to complain.

"If you mean the Hulk that crashed in my sanctuarium, creating a crater in my stairs. Than yes he made it."

"Huh? So he did care to use his last breath to get revenge for the blatant disrespect with the failing. He did saw it all." Loki nodded to himself, an odd foundness crossing his face. It made Loki look... too soft. To normal nothing like the crazy maniac in his tower, then Loki tilted his head looking them over.

"And Bruce didnt mention Hela?"

"No, he didnt, reindeer games. He did not." Tony answered. " We didnt get much time to catch up before the mess started."

"Oh, I could have sworn he would mention Hela even in passing. He did help us fight her and destroy Asgard. He really didnt mention it?" Tony stared at Loki, either this was some crazy tactic of an insane man or... Bruce apparently helped destroy Asgard? Bruce was on Asgard. Not on earth, but apparently on Asgard... He did started to assume the big green was not on earth but... Tony felt so jealous of him, he wanted to see Asgard. The moment he gets back he is setting the man down giving him a bucket of ice cream and coffee and making him tell everything.

Tony shook his head. Strange picked up. "He only warned us of Thanos coming... Is Asgard really gone?"

"Yes, Thor ordered one Ragnarok. I delivered it. Bruce helped out." Loki made a bow as if it was a grand gesture.

"That explains the disturbance Wong mentioned..."

"Like the disturbance in the force? " Peter asked the wizard, and Tony could have hugged the boy then for the look he made the wizard have. "Can you sense the force? Is the force real? "

"No." Strange said huffing as he crossed his arms to ignore the teen. Tony deiced to save the guy for now.

"Spider man drop the pop culture references."


	7. Shower

AN: This chapter is for Dexi,once you have time to read it I hope you will enjoy it ^^

R&R

* * *

Hela closed her eyes. She let her senses travel seeing the group still being in the front of the ship. Good, they were distracted with Loki. Leaving her alone. Not trying to sneak after her to backstab her or the like. Good she needed to be alone. She looked around herself. She didnt even pay attention as she walked off, where she was going. She found herself to be in front of a room with several seats, a few old scrolls in a box in the corner, on the only table beside the wall, she recognized armor and clothing blood cleaning substances, as well as a magical needle. She hummed pleased.

The room will do.

She stepped in it as if this was her goal from the start.

She sat down on the biggest chair in the room allowing her magic to seal the door silently closing. Now she finally allowed the disguise to drop.

Pain.

No.

Phantom pain.

The skin she didnt have was hurting from the burn. Itching nearly. Raising her hands she compared them. One was a nice one. Soft skin, pale, slightly underweight, as well she could see her veins pulsing under the skin. They definitely needed a bit of sun. The other just black bone, dirty with bits of smoldered flesh still clinging to it.

Small green shimmers wrapping around the bone fingers, pulsing with her heart beat.

Asgardian magic.

With no Asgard.

Lowering her hands slowly she breathed just as slowly. One in, hear your heartbeat. Let the air out, observe the room, if it had cleaning tonics... A breath in, hear your heartbeat. Let the air out, it should have water as well. In with the air, hear your heartbeat, Let the air out, eyes roaming the room for buttons or panels or... Breath in, hear your heartbeat. Let the air out, or magic detectors.

Breath in, hear your heart skip a beat, found it. Let the breath out, she glanced at her body.

Half burned, one side still having her rags the other she could see her own organs, too burned to even bleed. Green shiny threads boring into the worst burns, attempting to heal and feed any cell still left alive there.

A wince.

Pathetic wince.

She forced her self to stand, the magic shimmering stronger. Keeping her balanced, keeping her upright. Breath in, hear your racing heart beat. Let the air out, she approached the spell circle on the wall, small incarnation and a spark of magic it grew to offer passage to flowing water.

She preferred a bath, but then... the last time she had flowing water for cleaning was...was...The night before she challenged Odins rule. She took a long bath with Fenrir then. Washing his fur and telling him how in a days time she will be queen. Confident she would win... As she took her time brushing all the dirt and blood out, untangling the knots carefully with her fingers. Hearing him make that sweet happy sound of content and adoration. Never once looking at her with fear or disgust.

An annoying sigh left her, Breath in, hear your heart longing for what was destroyed. Let the air out, she slowly stripped what was left of her rags, considering what all they went thought... the tailor really did a job worth of a goddess. Small green sparks flattered from her fingers as they became her ears and eyes on the group.

Stepping under the water was heavenly and dizzily.

"Yeah, you helped but I had the situation under control." The man named Tony claimed, glaring at the trickster. A proud man then, yet he bear many scars on the same pride, Hela mused as the visions and voices came to her. A welcome distraction from the water...from her memories.

"Yeah, Mister Stark is right, I could hold her punches! " Oh the poor whelp, so unaware. The spider man still was quite fascinating. if nothing it was a curiosity to amuse her for a bit. His senses must be far better than that of mortals, and truly he was strong. Still it wouldnt matter, as in the end the boy will never manage to gain as much experience as her with his fleeting life.

"... You all do realize she fought you three while she is mortally wounded? That was her strength, when she is barely alive. On death's door so to say. " Well that was just over doing it, Loki. Hela frowned. She wasnt mortally wounded...then again to such a soft person it may look like that, having half her body burned... Her bony fingers reached to her face inspecting it as well.

"What do you mean?" The spider sounded worried. "Does she medical help? Can we help?" Hela burst out laughing, someone was honestly worried about her. How utterly adorable. How impossible yet here it was. She raised her head to meet the spray of water, feeling it run down her cheeks, down her jaw bone, warm and warmer.

"I assumed she would ask for the time stone to revert her wounds back... but she didnt..." Of course she wouldnt, the man could easily force the time forward till she rots away. Until she turns to dust. There is no resisting the power of the stones once they are used on you. Their grip can only be broken if another stone is used. She was not going to expose herself like that... She was not dumb.

"She didnt look hurt to me."

"She masked her wounds obliviously. I simply saw where she placed the illusion to cover her wounds and ... there are a lot of them. " For a frost giant he was quite perceptive... then again she pitied him growing up under Odin looking like he did... Every day his black hair and green eyes, the oblivious talent for magic reminding Odin about her. Knowing the old man, he probably hid the frost giants heritage from him as well. Oh she wondered, when he found out did his eyes open to Odin cowardliness, what kind of fall out was it?

As the chatter between the three continued onto Loki telling his story how Odin moved on, she tuned him out. She didnt want to hear his last hypocritical words. The last words he said to her before banishing were echoing in her ears... _Hela you are nothing but a bloodthirsty monster hungry for death and ruin, I am ashamed to have you be your father...For the betrayal towards the throne, towards all of Asgard, all your followers will be executed. You will be exiled for as long as I breath. Perish in the darkness of your own cage._

She didnt perish, she grow stronger. He underestimated her wish to live. Just because she is the god of death didnt mean she was willing to die herself at the first few years of nothing but darkness. Her hands went into her hair washing it, allowing it full length to slide between her fingers in delight. Focusing on the weight it pulled gently on her head. Slowly letting her fingers tangle and undoing the few knots it had.

"Can we ask this Grandmaster on our side?" The wizard interrupted Loki. Look at that the old crazy man was still kicking, Hela smirked to herself. Throwing her hair in front to let the water flow over her neck and back. She hissed as the cold feeling soothed the wounds on her spine. Eyes seeing the black and red smudge and grime flowing off and vanishing. She even outlive Asgard the golden city.

"No he is too unstable for that." And apparently the old crazy was as crazy as he was before. Yes, after she got her hands on all the infinity stones, brought back Fenrir and then restored her people and home she will invite him to the following feast to celebrate her crowning as queen of Asgard. He will be a fun guest. Fenrir is just lost for a bit, she will get him back, get all of it back.

She stepped out as Loki moved to quickly explain how the battle on the rainbow bridge occurred, how he saved their people. Interesting, using their instead of his, cleaver snake. Must be assuming she is eavesdropping. She rolled her eyes at the tale, leaning to pick the rags and summoning the magic needle towards her. Filling it with her magic to let it do its work. Turning back she looked over the room for any food, she ddint exactly get to eat anything since she became free.

"... not even a day after Thanos ship assaulted ours and... he did kill half of all Asgards survivors. " No, food. Well just water will do for now. The sound of her clothes being repaired filling the room.

"... As I said if you would so kindly stop to interrupt me, I died. Not even for the first time. If I may add. It the third time." Fishing for sympathy, how funny. What was Loki plan to do with it? Be best friends with a few low life forms?

"I died several hundred times over, nothing that special about it." The master of mystic arts said huffing. Recognizing and shooting the sympathy collecting by disclosing his own scars. Interesting. The spider now worrying over the wizard, and looking back at Tony.

"Mr. Stark... did you die too?"

"What?! No, dont loop me together with those witches."

"Oh good, I thought I failed some Avengers criteria by not dying."

"Spiderman, neither of them are Avengers. They are wizard and insane wizard. And dont you dare go and die on me."

"Oh, great then. Was just checking."

Hela chuckled, such a glaring weakness to drag into battle. It may be tempting to just kill one of them herself, just to let them see the despair of their foolishness. She never had such a weakness when she rode into the battle with Odin, he made sure for her to understand that such a showcase would result only in pain. Maybe she will spare them just to watch them a bit longer. Just to spite Odins ways.

"...I dont know where Thor is... but I would assume he would go to the dwarfs to get a weapon to kill Thanos. Do not underestimate Thanos madness. What he believes in he believes with all of his heart."

Oh the time stone wilder asked about her younger brother? What was he hoping to do? It was not like they could contact him for help. The needle floated beside her to settle back on the table. Ah, finally her clothing has been restored. A brief whisper of dream came to her mind, but she pushed it down. She couldnt trust this people not to try and foolishly attempt something while her guard is low.

No sleep.

Thanos has believes?

Hela smirked as she slides into the familiar cloth. Now perfectly restored. Such a useful little magic toy. She pocketed it.

She had believes as well.

It will be simply the battle of whose heart believes stronger in their goals. She was not about to lose a battle that was challenging her like that. She had no doubt in her heart about her ways. She outlived Asgard. If that wasnt the proof she was right, then she didnt know what else could be. Magic flowed over her burnt flesh and exposed bones, hiding the glaring weakness.


	8. Planing

"So are you satisfied? " Loki questioned, the explanation took a lot out of him and he opted not to go into the bits of his ghost being. Pretending he simply assume Thor plans, not actually knowing them. It was tiring, he shape shifted to claim Hela down, and surprisingly it worked. He partially awaited that she wold snap and kill him again... but instead she just retreated to mourn. At least he hoped she mourned and not been hatching a plan to... he wasnt sure what. There were too many possibilities.

"So, what is our battle plan?" Ah, the kid spoke looking nervously over to them.

"I like your son Stark. " Loki complimented but instead he got a deer in headlights look.

"What?!" Stark and the kid said at the same time. Trying in a whirl of words to explain how he isnt his kid, and how they are more of a mentor student relation ship. Strangely enough Strange sighed floating closer to Loki.

"Their exact relationship confused me as well." Strange commented to him, still floating as if being a few inches above everyone else was somehow important. He sounded oddly friendly. Loki really had the urge to stab the man, but then he thought of a hulk ruining the doctors home and felt right better. Yup, that and hulk smashing Thor around became his favorite cheer up thoughts.

"Either way brute force will not exactly work. He already has the power gem. That why he was able to win against Hulk." That got their attention, especially the implication for their world views. The strongest avenger lost. The unstoppable rage monster was stopped.

"You mentioned the gauntlet, could we try to steal it from him." Strange offered. Loki gulped, it may...

"He is not going to just leave it laying around, we would have to rip it of his arm."

"... Let leave that for later, first lets see about the landing and where are we actually going." Stark demanded indicating for him to come closer to the console, so he followed quite curiously. The boy was left with Strange and started to hole the wizard with questions on how he got his powers, how did magic works and what can he do. Tony eyed him for a moment before he focused on the screen in front of them.

"I could translate the writings, but that isnt why you pulled me of to the side." Loki whispered looking at the same screen Tony did. He let a curious hum off.

The man nodded, quite surprisingly. "Bruce did say something... that the attack on New York was all Thanos." Loki stayed quite allowing the man to conclude what he wanted. They all did, never listening or asking. So it will be this time as well. He will assume something, maybe even claim him to still be serving Thanos. Absurd, but lies he can spin anyway, if they already believe in them. Confirm their believes and bend them to suit your goals.

"You didnt try to take over the world back then did you." It wasn not a question, as Tony poked the screen to suddenly get a world map...of... a world. Which one, neither could tell. It appeared to have a lot of desert and quite bad storms.

"Oh, did I not now?" Loki controlled his intonation. It was such an intriguing development. Even so, he awaited to be accused of something evil. Accused of some master plan.

"No."

"Then pray tell, what I did try. "

"... If I had to give an educated guesses after all I know now... The attack on New York was the most elaborated prisoner escape, that was successful. I would have called it theft, but you left the mind stole with us, which you must have gotten from Thanos to begin with. " And the man turned to look at him, in a way that was way too ... _I get it, dont approve it, but I get it._ It was strange, Thor assumed someone controlled him, _who controls the would be king_ just briefly... he was so close... but he dropped the trail just as fast, assuming like everyone else he was the main bad guy. Too eager to believe what is easier then to doubt him and try to pry the truth out. So why? Why after all this time it wasnt Thor but this smirking idiotic human the one to figure it out.

He let a heavy sigh, out. Not confirming it with words, but it was not needed. Tony nodded poking the screen again changing it to some ... numbers, statics. It was the statistics of the ship, its energy its speed, time of arrival.

"In the end it doesnt matter." Loki answered, moving the statistic down, facing now the near empty space filled with only the lights of stars passing them by.

"I disagree. It matters, especially if we are to know if you will betray us or not. If you are working for Thanos." Tony stopped in that moment because the mortal at least understood that sentences caused Loki to give him a glare, one that promised pain if he do not stop it. Loki awaited this accusation... He knew it would come up...yet... yet.. it still made him angry to have the man figure out so much and then deiced to throw that on top.

"I am anything but working for the mad titan. So trust that what ever I try to do it will only be for taking him down."

"And what about Hela?"

"She... is the problem after the big purple mad titan, out for half of all life." Oddly it appeared Tony was fine with that answer, even smirking.

"Good I can work with that, reindeer games So beside turning into a wolf what can you else do?"

Loki smirked back. He supposed it was only fair to show some of his tricks.

"It really depends Tony, what do you want to know." Bruce spoke, causing a jerk reaction out of Tony. Ah, the priceless face was way too amusing. Bruce shifted uncomfortably in place, observing as in Tony head the gears turned. Yes, this power was much more useful then just a party trick. It felt nice having someone appreciated his craft. Behind them several steps away the kid noticed the change as well and jumped up to them.

"What?" It was oblivious the kid wanted to ask question but Tony cut him short.

"That is my shirt... and I think those are my pants as well." He pointed out and Bruce looks down at it, before uncomfortably tugging on the side of the pants, just like he did on Saakar.

"Thats quite a funny story, actually. And you wear really thigh fitting pants." Bruce chuckled little, with out real humor behind it.

"And can you drop looking, acting, sounding and moving like Bruce." Loki chuckled with more mirth, changing on as he had one more thing he wanted to get a reaction out of them. It was simple a breath before they have to face possible death once more. The shimmering light of his magic adjusted and only a blink later he was having curves. She was always kind of prideful of how well she could pull off long hair and perfect body.

The boy became speechless and Tony eyes wandered her feathers. Well she knew that was partially because of her thigh and revealing dress. leaving nothing of her form to imagining. Her eyes wandered to the reflection on the screen. She really looked alike her sister...She averted her eyes back to meet Tonies and Spiderman.

"You and Hela really look alike. " Tony snapped out his trance.

"Unless you plan to date Thanos into submission that magic trick is useless." Strange pointed out and she rolled her eyes, dropping the curves to give him a look.

"I dont see you coming with ideas, Strange. " Loki snarled. "The easiest solution would be to destroy that time stone of yours."

"Not a option."

"Oh, and what will stop Thanos to just rip it off you." It was just too tempting, wearing it on display. Why didnt Hela grab it? There were magic traces all over the wizard. Some protecting spells? Yet, before he could go into it deeper, the wizard explained.

"I put a spell on it, unless I give it up willingly no one can have it." Strange explained as if talking to small children.

Two seconds.

It was completely silent.

But in those two seconds Loki hoped.

Hoped that the solution was in front of his face. And so utterly simple. No one would assemble the glove. Not, Thanos, and not Hela. What is one in exchange for many, he was already labeled as the bad guy, one more crime will not change anything.

He started to move towards the man with cape, not asking for forgiveness for failing to save the already dead, but at least the living will have a chance. or at the very least more time to prepare now that they are more aware.

The two seconds passed and he was stopped by Tony appearing in front of him, a hand on his chest. It was quite surprising that Iron man touched him. Not with his iron armor but with his bare hand. How odd. The oddness keeping him still, instead of just throwing him off.

"No we arent doing that." He said meeting Lokis eyes. "Would be no better than the guy who doesnt value life."

"You cant be serious?" Loki questioned and Tony simply shock his head. But the eyes were telling him that he was not only serious but couldnt allow it. Loki blinked, stepping away and turning towards the empty space. "Fine, consider us even now." The armature gave him life when he didnt have to, and he spared his, when he didnt have to.

"Um, what just happened?" The spider asked, eyeing Loki. Who opted to answer him.

"Just a bad idea shoot down. Now what options do we have left?" As he looked over his shoulder he could see Strange looking at Tony, he understood what happened. Tony rolling his eyes and not wanting to accept any thanks. Their lives may still end soon. This may be very well their last few hours. "We cannot destroy the stone, so can you at least hide it."

Strange nodded and a motion with his hand he summoned golden magic which made the stone vanish and a illusion replace it place. Some small victories.


	9. Spider on the wall

Peter frowned, he was sure Loki was dangerious, only to have his felling die down when mr. Stark touched him. Like disarming a bomb. Like breaking a spell. Maybe it was breaking the spell, considering that was Loki and wizard doctor Strange. Could see there was some form of understanding reached between the adults. He didnt like it, that they found it important to shield him. He was an Avenger, now. They should trust him. So he took a few deep breaths, he was a avenger now. Right.

He should think of ways to help out not complain. Ned would flip out. Aunt May will flip out as well for different reasons, but that was beside the point.

Deciding to leave them to their bickering and planning he silently moved to the wall and climbed it. It was kinda too easy to let them alone planing and occasionally calling each other names. Peter wandered the ceiling until he was in the near dark and far enough from the voices to hear them as muffled sounds. His hearing was too good, he didnt mean to eavesdrop on the conversation his mentor had with Loki.

"But really moving ten feet away from me really didnt move out my hearing range even if I holed the wizard about magic. To try and give them some privacy by distracting myself" He sighed.

"Maybe mr. Stark wanted me to hear it?" He questioned, and Karen piped up, she was oddly silent for a while there. Got him worried, as he got quite used to her.

 _"If so, what do you think about what was said?"_

"Well we are going to fight against the big bad with a bad guy. Like a alliance against the bigger baddie." Peter sighed, he was nervous, anxious. it didnt help him he was wondering what all could go wrong, what if they meet more alien on the way there. What if they meet the alien!

"Karen, do you think there are many alien in space?"

"I would assume that."

"And how many of them do you think would try to eat me or lay eggs in me?"

"Maybe several. " It was not Karen who answered him, but another female voice. He jumped doing a flip in the process and was face to face with Hela. Lokis sister.

"Did I spook you?" She smirked. Whats up with adults and smirking, note to self work on your smirking ability. Then again with the mask no one can see him if he smirk or is terrified. Which he counted as a plus. His face always gave away too much.

"No. Of course not. I just didnt want you to be that close to me. Not the fan of people who are calling them self death, touching me." Peter responded fast, giving a look to the woman, her hair looked a bit damp. Her skin looked cleaner, but then again it was near complete dark, maybe he was imaging it.

"How are the boys doing? Are they hitting heads over strategy and what ifs?"

"Well... we do need a battle plan, you know." Hela hummed, moving closer to him. Peter stayed in place, a message typed itself in his field of view. The glowing red letters reading.

 _Should I active advance kill mode?_

"No, drop it already!" Peter responded and Hela stopped, she looked like a curious cat about to pounce, or push a glass of water over the edge of the table. "No not, you miss Hela, I meant um... my suit lady." He didnt think telling Hela Karen names was a good idea. Wasnt there a movie or something where knowing a name held some magic power? Now that he dealt with magic he has to be extra careful.

"Suit lady?"

"its just a little program that helps me out. Nothing special." Peter licked his lips, Hela nodded stepping off to the side, giving him again a bit of space. "Follow me, we should be close to our destination by now." She stated turning away from him now and moving with confidence.

 _Are you sure you dont want me to activate the kill mode?_

"I am sure" peter hissed in a lowly whisper.

 _How about Stunt webs?_

That one could be actually useful, he nodded and he could swear the next text in his view point was written faster and more excitedly. Karen was really happy she managed to get some special webs for him.

 _Activation completed, current active web type can be seen in the right corner._

Peter rolled his eyes. Catching up with Hela who was strolling as if she had all time of the world. he could really easily picture her as a queen. Thought the whole death part was kinda off putting.

"So..."

Peter wondered why was he trying to strike small talk with the mad woman who was apparently imprisoned for millennium and once free decide to wreck the place he wanted to rule. "Yes, spider?" She answered him, and now he could not pretend he didnt say anything. So going thought with it. Peter said the first thing that come to his mind that sounded somewhat a safe conversation.

"You mentioned something about some aliens wanting to..." She cut him off, her hand waving off, as if she was stating the most well known fact there is.

"There are quite a few who live in space and want to lay they eggs in living creatures. Like parasites."

"And when they hatch to they break out one chest." Peter asked in alarm.

"Yes, they else are they to leave the body of the host they feed on? Quite painful as you can imagine."

Peter did not react at that moment, he was proud of himself for not letting a sound off. Maybe the killer mode wasnt such a bad idea.

"You arent joking, right?"

"Do you think the goddess of Death would joke?"

"No, of course not. Sorry miss Death." Peter shot back, really not wanting to piss her off, he received a soft laugh and a mumbled word his hearing picked up. She was amused by him calling her miss. Oh,... well that was good to know.

"I would recommend you to stay away from anything with antlers or feelers. " She even raised her hands to make small horns on top of her head. Peter nodded as they turned a corner, thankful for the warning. He will have to watch out for such creatures. Then he noticed it, was she distracting him...Sure he walked the ceiling to get there but he was quite sure that was a new hallway they were in. Not the way to the front of the ship where the other three were.

"Erm, Are you lost this isnt the way back to the cocpit area."

"Thats because we arent going there."

"Why not?"

"Have you ever seen men in spaceships? They all think they can fly those things only to crash it when they arent gently enough. Its annoying to watch. "

"Oh... Sounds like you know a lot of people like that... who do you know would be the worst, pilot?"

"Oh thats easy. "She all but cheerfully responded, which was slightly off putting as her stance and a feeling in Peter told her she was not cheerful as she sounded. More like dangerous. " Odin would have been the worst. I always picked to be on a different ship then him especially if we just captured unknown ships of the enemy." She waved her hand. "Either way I am sure this ship will crash."

" Shouldnt we then help them not to crash the ship?"

"Well, that depends, and here it is." She stopped in front a small console and started manipulating it. Peter opted to observe her and try to figure out what she was doing. it looked like she pulled the schematics of the ship.

"Amazing." Peter whispered. This was all the mechanical details of the ship, of a space ship.

"Its not that amazing when you realize it doesnt have landing gear. Which confirms my statement from earlier." Peter couldnt help himself to jump on the wall to crawl to look at Hela directly. "What are we going to do?"

"Hold onto something in five seconds."

"What do you mean hold onto something in five seconds? Are we already landing." Suddenly the wall under his fingers swayed, straining and Peter felt himself felt halfway falling. He saw Hela summoning a sword and stabbing the wall with it. He felt his extra limbs shooting out and trying to help keep a hold on. Next thing darkness covered his eyes as something hit him in the head.

Karen voice. She was saying something. He blinked his eyes open and there was light from a fire near by. His eyes felt sensitive, but even so they open wide as he realized Hela was leaning in his face.

'' So you did not die'' She said not appearing to have a scratch on her. Actually she started to look bored. Karen spoke up before he could have.

''As I was warning to not come any closer, Spiderman was fine whit out your help.''

 _Are you fine? You blood pressure is high and your heart rate is elated. As well Mr. Stark is asking where you are, what should I answer Friday?_

"I am fine" He said referring to all questions and people around. Karen got it and was typing a okay as well answering Friday. now with that done, he actually took in his surroundings. The left wall was gone leaving a gaping hole to view the planet. He was a astronaut now, how amazing was that! Even with Hela still standing way too close to him, he couldnt help the itch in his fingers to do a scout round to ensure the surroundings are safe, or more like to swing on a alien planet. Except just as he planned to poke his head out a movement caught his eyes.

He pushed back and hid behind the fallen beam, a group was approaching the ship wreak. Peter stomach jumped, one of them had antennas, feelers on their head. The egg laying alien! He looked back towards hela who was staring at the burning console with a sort of far away look. Maybe she didnt notice them yet?...

"We need to get back and warm the others now!" He whispered reaching out and grabbing Hela hand and pulling her as he rushed back to the front of the ship or what was left form it. In his panic Peter never noticed the way Hela had a raised eyebrow and mumbled to herself how she does need a new executioner...


	10. Guardians

Loki grunted, wondering briefly how he came to this position. Ah yes, Tony asked him to help stir the ship, the wizard made a shield to protect them and ... he just helped crash land the ship. Not bad, he had worse crash landings. Thor came to mind, at least this time they didnt decapitate a statue of Thors grandfather.

He felt so comfy on the floor over some rubble that was pushing into his spine, where he was laying that he was tempted to just keep on laying there and forget about the problems of the universe. Just for a bit , just until his body stops feeling sore and tired, just for a bit till his mind decided to work again. Just for a bit longer to savor life. He heard Strange voice directed towards him. "...And what about you? Are you okay?"

How strange the Strange was asking for his well being. He smirked.

Loki cracked open his eye leaning his head further back to see that Strange was helping Tony up as he looked over to where Loki was laying. Tony shock his left arm, his right fingers pressing the left shoulder over the armor as if trying to shoo away the pain from it. Did he fall on it? Iron man took a noticeable calming breath before he gave a look to where Loki was laying not showing a sign of trying to move.

"Friday locate Spiderman." He spoke hiding his worrying voice quite well. Yet, his eyes betrayed him. Tony stifled noticing the specific look by Loki and pretended all is perfect as he spoke to him.

"That cannot be comfortable reindeer games." Referring to the way he was laying on the floor.

"You would be surprised." Loki smirked still looking at them upside down, which allowed him to be the first to notice the red speedy spider rush towards them and lower himself from the ceiling.

"The egg laying alien!" The spider removing his mask to show his worry stated, Tony cutting him off warning him about any more references. He was truly just a boy, a young one who saw nothing of the world yet... To think he may die by Thanos... They all may die by him today... This may very well be his last minutes and hours... for all of them... He forcefully stopped himself from thinking along those lines. He was becoming too pessimistic, must be the tiredness speaking. There is always an opportunity one can grip on. He proved it countless times. How stubbornly he fails to stay dead.

"I am trying to say someone is coming."

Loki was in the process of sitting up when he heard the kid warning and then have a mini explosion caught him off guard. It was really not his day. It took him several seconds to get out the derbies that he ended up under and he was faced with people he knew and they did not know him. The people who saved Thor from for ever floating in the nothingness.

He was noticed by the Star lord and just in the nick of time rolled out the way of his fire. Great they are fighting, rolling his eyes he wondered how to clam down the situation with out outing his ghost self existence. He made a duplicate to draw attention as he sneaked around, it worked as the star lord man went for his duplicate being surprised when he hit and it dissolved. Reacting fast Star lord, he gripped at spiderman and point a gun at the kid, mask on. Loki pressed his dagger at the mans neck, whose eyes grew in surprise.

"Harm him and your neck will get a big hole." Loki warned, feeling the fast heartbeat of the man. Now that He froze how to turn this around...

"Shot him I can take it!" Said the man under Tonies aim, while the girl shouted that he really cant.

"What have you done to Gamora." The man growled against the knife on his neck anyway.

"I will do you one better who is Gamora?" Stark responded.

"I will do you one better what is Gamora?"

Loki blinked and it was perfect, such a sweet opportunity. "By Thors hammer that one is a idiot." There a name drop, clear and loud and annoyed to make it appear as if its a curse, like odins beard. It has to get their attention. Tony stared at Loki like he was the one out his mind, but the situation moved on quick as the webbed up woman spoke.

"You know Thor?"

"Who are you?" The question asked from the guardian leader. Loki stopped pressing the knife in the neck, to give a impression he was questioning that too. It was the spider who had a gun to his head that answered, removing his mask once more. "We are the avengers."

"We are trying to kill Thanos. And you?" Loki added, helpfully, now fully removing the knife from the guys neck. A show of peace offering.

"We too! You are the people Thor talked about?" the woman said causing Tony to lower his arm, and the wizard to follow suit.

" So you know Thor, too?" Tony questioned, shifting to a less ready to fight pose.

"Yeah big, blond not good looking." Loki grinned wide, oh look at that someone is jealous. The spider made a face of not being able to believe that. It was a fun face.

"I like this one." Loki answered, causing Strange to roll his eyes.

"Of course you would."

"I am Peter Quill, Star lord. " The man introduced himself and rubbed his neck, using his other hand to offer a hand shake. Loki took it, still having a wide smile on his face.

"Loki, and I am annoyed with Thor nine out of ten times."

"How disappointing, I was just starting to enjoy the entertainment." It was Helas voice that spoke up standing casually in the hole that the guardians blow open eating something from a small bug in her hand. Peter was stepping away from the woman in green, eyeing her briefly. "So.. you are not going to lay your eggs in me?"

"No, why would you think that?" She responded confusedly ,while Loki could see the young spider look over at Hela.

"You couldnt have seriously listened to her." Tony was the one who scolded the boy now standing protectively by his side.

"Really Hela?" Loki raised a eyebrow. Good the situation looked disarmed for now but still it could explode in chaos with just one wrong word. "You scare a poor man with lies? I thought thats my job. While Thors is to be the perfect golden prince and yours to well..."

"Of course the Thor younger brother would say that." Hela voice echoed, and Loki couldnt stop himself as the words slipped, he was just so tired and she was poking exactly the wrong way.

"And as Thor older sister you want to be the perfect one? I tell you gold doesnt suit you." Watching Hela make a face, he hit some nerve? It didnt last long as the idiot shout.

"Those are my Zorak nuts! Your invisibility stopped working as you moved just now!" Loki was halfway stuck between what is the man talking and watching him rush Hela, who licked her finger before she summoned a spear and speared the man shoulder holding him just out of reach to hit her. It didnt look like it was any trouble to her to hold him off. Which apparently didnt stop the alien idiot in question from yelling and shouting and trying to still hit her. Well one had to give him, the guy was determined. Loki sighed heavily as the situation exploded in many more shouts with all pulling weapons out. Star lord was this time aiming a bit at Loki head and a bit towards Strange and Tony aimed at Hela together with wizard.

Loki held his arm crossed.

"I knew you lot couldnt be trusted, except maybe you Loki." Joining side with anyone who hates Thor, he really liked this Peter guy. He was about to complain to Hela and tell her to be nicer, when instead its was the boy who took on that role. He started to like that spider, he could read the room and react timely.

"Lady death you really should work on your introductions. "Spiderman spoke somehow casually and like he was scolding a puppy, as he found his way to hang head over on a string just beside Hela head.

"He attacked me."

"Yes, but you could have just thrown him off balance or something not aim to kill him."

"Is he dead?"

"No."

"Then I did not aim to kill him, I **was** being nice."

"You could be nicer and not spear people, and you could not try to attack her, please." The spider man spoke trying to get the man to cooperate. Who apparently tried to slide more down the spear so he could reach her and attack her. really determined. She smirked and held the bag over as she tipped her head and catch the last few falling nuts in her mount and loudly chewed them which made the idiot more mad.

"Are you out your mind lady?!" Star lord shouted.

"Most likely she is, but she is the most likely person who could kill Thanos to begin with." Loki said conversationally, causing the human to look at him in disbelieve. It was then the human blinked and stepped away from Loki. "Wait a second, wait a second! Thor said his brother got killed by Thanos and he killed his half sister. I am so not failing for this tricks. Who are you all really?!" He knew that, he was present as a ghost when his brother said that, thats why he didnt mention he was brother of Thor, but Hela just had to drop that bomb shell.

Hearing this Hela dropped the spear letting the person run pass her as she elegantly side stepped and huffed approaching Peter with the gun now aiming at him.

"Why do **_I_** get the to be his half sister, if he is the adopted one?" There was a undertone, Loki recognized... Did Hela know about Frigga? Was she not her mother? Who was her mother then? When did Thor find out about who was Helas mother?

"Maybe because you cut one of his eyes open? You know maybe he is holding some grudges?"

"And how often did you stab him?"

Loki was ready to shout back at her even if it could mean getting stabbed himself. She is not gonna put them in the same category. Suddenly loud music startled them all.

It was Tony playing a fast beat song about a highway to hel? It felt appropriate.

It stopped and smugly Tony clapped his hands together. "Well to sum it up, Thor didnt kill her well enough, she found dead Loki, wizard there used the time stone, a thing Thanos wants, to bring Loki back to life and we are all here because we want to stop the mad man from killing half the population in the universe. So lets just drop it all, and play really nice. We need a plan, and I suggest the first step is to get out this wreck and see what battle field we have here."

"I know that song, its a good one, not as good as footloose." Loki could observe Tony physically restraining himself from commenting. Tony turned and walked out, the spider following after him.


	11. Preparations

Tony sighed, that worked half way decent. He made sure from that moment on Peter was by his side, in his view as they stepped out onto the planet. He sure didnt want the boy to wander off and actually believe the crazy Thor sister words on any topic again. He was just too good nature to trust that even an apparently goddess of death could have something good in them. Worth a second chance to offer... Tony was thorn, he didnt want to destroy the world view Peter had... it was too pure and hopeful and precious to be dragged that mad hole of distrust, paranoia... and yet here he was surrounded with crazies up against madness...

This was it, here they will fight this Thanos and win. Oblivious they will win, because he is so not letting Peter die today. It didnt help that the boy kept wandering off while they were in the ship and he was stuck babysitting the wizard in case Loki or his sister decide to change their minds and go off killing the guy and be no better than what they were trying to stop.

At least Peter was by his side right now. Tony heard Strange offering to fix this Drax person shoulder. Tony wondered how healing magic looks like and works, when instead the wizard summoned the green stone from hiding and time travel fixed the shoulder. Did he had to use time travel to fix everything?

Apparently Loki noticed it too.

"The point of hiding is to leave it hidden not take it out of hiding and use it for every little problem." The reindeer games complained only to have the wizard dismiss him and walk off to the side. The Star Lord guy, really? Who calls them self Star Lord? Ego much. Either way he behaved like taking some measurements. So a few moments Tony could take to not be the most mature person on the planet...

"You okay there?" He nudged Peter.

"Yeah, I am fine. Perfectly, the suit protected me great when we were crashing."

"Yes, thats good..." Not exactly what he meant, but seeing Peter giving him a grin and a nod as if he was getting what he was failing to say made him plan all sort of apology gifts he was going to send to him and his aunt the moment they get back. And Bruce, if he is still there when they return he will show off Peter to Bruce and bask in their interactions and seeing Bruce impressed with the boy cleaver head and understanding of complex topics ... It will just make Tony feel so proud. Thought the lull between them was nice, in the end it was interrupted.

"Do you need some Stark?" Loki was approached hands casually crossed over his chest.

"Want what? Please keep it age appropriate." Loki rolled his eyes, yet didnt appear to be actually annoyed. Just more... playing the annoyed one...?

"For your left shoulder, I spend enough time around stubborn people to know when they try hiding an old war wound acting up."

And now Peter looked worried at him, damn you Loki. He glared at the reindeer games, only to see a calculated knowing smirk. He said it in front of Peter on purpose! Betrayal! Tony shrugged, insisting it was nothing, but it only made the trickster roll his eyes. He was fighting a losing battle.

"Do you want to take that risk with Thanos as our opponent?" He waited for just a brief second, but it was apparently enough for Loki to have a softer smile. Which was completely not befitting the situation.

"Allow me to help you, its not a fix, but it will ensure its like new for a few hours. "

And Peter was doing that thing with his eyes, that Tony wanted to look away as well as give in and buy an amusement park for the boy. "Mister Stark we are all on the same side here. It would be strategically bad not to be in top form. Right?" Maybe he should not let him and Bruce meet, they will bond over worrying for him and annoy him with regular meals and demand more sleeping hours of him... Pepper and Bruce together were bad enough...

"Fine! Its really is nothing. But if it makes you both stop annoying me then get it over with." The armor retreated from around his shoulder and Loki placed his hand on it. It was a few seconds of cold, and glowing gold and green strands before he removed his hands and suddenly ... It ... Tony poked his shoulder, he had a lot more feeling in it suddenly. And there was no tension in it at all. He didnt even notice there was tension before now. Actually he felt relief like a weight of it vanished. He looked at Loki ... he wanted to put that under a microscope and replicate it. It must have shown on his face as Loki grinned.

"Maybe I will show you how it works." Loki winked. "Thor does plan to build new Asgard on earth so I suppose we would see each other a lot more often. And I do plan to visit Bruce ever so often."

"The gravity is all over the place." The Star prince said and Tony dropped the assault of questions on Thor plans, or Lokis plans. Gravity all over, could he use that in the fight to come, he wondered. "Okay we need a plan." Tony repeated himself and started suggesting a plan. The plan half made with Loki and Strange. He was taking it to be a good plan.

Of course things were going again out of the hand. With one of this guardians yawning and not listening, the woman mixing up the sayings and having Star lord tell him he sucked. Only thing he needed was Loki leaning to his ear.

"I heard a good punch in their face can help with the anger. Or I could lend you a dagger or twenty." Challenge your inner peace, a cup of coffee and his bots.

"No, thank you Loki, I dont need to punch anyone. Where is the goth sister again, she has been silent." He really didnt need that crazy woman to go stabbing anyone again. Tony turned to look for the woman who was sitting opposite doctor love good. Observing his twitching body with an open interest.

"Is your friend alright?" Asked the guardian woman, and Tony was not sure. Stupid magic.

"Shh, I am watching a mortal observing and living thought millions of different futures. You can even see all the ones he dies in. I didnt have this much entertainment since I killed all the Valkyries in one afternoon." Tony shared a look with Peter, feeling like he was in need to apologies to the boy about the state of people they have to ally with. And he didnt do apologies! Still he walked closer to wizard just in time to catch the wizard in his arms when he apparently choose that moment to stop looking into the futures...

"...Should we really leave him with the stone, he cannot keep his hands off it." Loki grumbled, after giving a mean look from Tonys arms, the wizard spoke. ".. I looked into the futures."

"We gathered so much." Loki continued his grumbling.

"How many have you observed?" Hela piped up, creepily sounding like an excited girl.

" _14,000,606_ " Strange answered solemy.

"Really? Interesting, wouldnt have given the shattering of your sanity any more than 10 million at most." Hela tilted her head as if thinking about it.

"You will find that humans can be quite full of surprises. If poked the right way." Loki offered catching the goddess of death attention.

"Naturally, like butterflies you poke with a needle to preserve."

Tony ignored their talk and comparing them to insects, focusing at the handful of wizard in his arms. "How many did we win?"

The man looked up. "One."

One in 14 million that are like some lottery odds... Great they just have to win the lottery to win. All possible. They can cheat their way to it...Now that they knew the one. Right?

He should have drunk an extra coffee this morning. Maybe even finish his breakfast, not leave the half eaten sandwich behind.


	12. Counting down

Stephen knew what had to happen. He saw it from his own point of view 14 million times... He wasnt limited to just his first person view, the stone would always start him there, but when he died it would shift him to observe it from the third person view. Usually following Thanos...or maybe following the time stone? He wasnt quite sure on which one it was yet. Still observing it happen over and over was straining. He focused on the feel of now, deliberately blinking to confirm this was reality and not in a vision. Anchor oneself, he wouldnt get conffused... still better safe than sorry.

It was the now and here. Actions here were the one that counted.

Thanos arrived. The start of it all. Seeing him still send chills down his spine. This was the mad man that won so... who was he kidding, who won always. Just in one Thanos did not won.

Even so, he had to say the right words, to push closer to that one future he was aiming for. Closer to saving the life of innocent. Reminding himself why he was doing this gave him strength for his performance.

"Oh, yeah...you are much more Thanos."

Having the titan look at him in real time was slightly surreal after 14 million of possibility he already saw him look at him. He had the solemn face, no tears, neither a manic grin of madness born out of grief. That was going down the right part. Making it easier for him.

"I take it, he is dead." Thanos looked over the broken ship. He didnt use the name of his follower, bad. A divergence from the perfect path, so early. He could nudge it back on track, he saw some ways that behaved like that. Moving away to later reconnect with possibility that lead to the one path he wanted. Shifted away to shift back to the same conclusion. All for that end game.

"The Maw? Yeah." He spoke instead of simply nodding. Correction. Check.

"This day takes a heavy toll." He was approaching, right foot first. Back on track. Good, good, a million and half ways he could now cast away as they moved past those possibilities of lose.

"Still he accomplished his mission." Using the pronoun not the name, because he specified the name instead, ten more loses avoided. It was starting to itch, his hands felt like they would start shaking. He kept them perfectly still. Shaking hands would lead directly to his demise in the next three seconds. A weakness shown, and space and reality working together to rip his heart out his body and drop it in the dust. Calling the time stone out of hiding, like the hiding place was nothing to begin with...

Absolutely still hands.

"You may regret that. He brought you face to face with the master of the mystic arts." Spiderman stayed put, if he dropped the regret part, the boy would have shoot then, losing to his nerves, he would have lost his arm and leg and not be able to continue the fight. Tony would went mad and die from the reality stone bursting him like a balloon. The boy stayed put, he was in the word regret kept the kid put.

Good. Another two hundredth thousands loses avoided.

"Where do you think he brought you?" Avoid eye contact, observe the planet, lead on Thanos to keep on walking closer. Eye contact leads to him stopping and lead for him to spot the guardians in hiding too early.

One more step.

Step completed.

Now speak to stop him. "Let me guess." Take a breath, this doesnt change any of the futures. A small choose, a small act that doesnt influence anything. Oh, how he was thankful for that small freedom. "Your home?"

"It was" He spoke with a brief nostalgic smile on his face. Good it was brief, a long lasting smile was always leading to him not using the reality stone to demonstrate his past. Which always meant he would enter the fight in Wakanda sooner, killing Banner who tried to stop him from getting to Vision. It has to be the captain gripping the gauntlet.

"It was beautiful." It was, the power of the stone shifting reality was breathtaking. He could hear, smell even feel the grass on which he found himself sitting. The monologue was nearly always the same. Once he started, he would compare it to other planets saying how it had population problem. There was only needed one word from him.

"Genocide?" And the mad titan explained what he meant, the intonation had to be just right amount of disbelieve, or the mad titan would lash out in hurt, and declaring they do not understand. Especially painful was the path where he said to Thanos that he didnt know the difference between saving the world and destroying it. For some reason that triggered Tony in rage, screaming how he should have known.

How Ultron was pulling his morality from Thanos not him. In that future Strange was left alive and drag to Wakanda to be witness of the death of every single Avenger. One by one falling before him, while Stephen was absolutely useless to stop anything. It was one of the more vivid futures... but as easily avoided.

Seconds later Thanos returned the reality to what it currently was.

"Congratulations, you are a prophet."

"I am a survivor."

The worst thing about it, Stephen knew it was true. The mad titan was so dangerous because he knew how to live. Hesitation would destroy them all. Strange responded without losing a beat. Hearing his words as well practiced rehearsal at this point.

"Want to murder trillions."

"With all six stones I can simply snap my fingers."

Snap.

His cloak shifted taking the weight of sitting upright off him. The snap. The sound will forever haunt him, even if they manage to get to the one...

"...I call that mercy. Wouldnt you?" A difference once more. He stood up, this one he had to repair later in the now it cannot be fixed to return on the path. It was making his stomach flip, he will have to save his breath to be able to return the time to the one path. He took deeper breaths.

"Then what?" He walked down the stairs, keeping his speed just on the casual side. Floating would have been the start of the fight. Nebula wouldnt come in time then.

"I finally rest. Watch the sunrise on a grateful universe."

Grateful? Rest? Stephen felt the exhaustion heavy on his shoulder, he wanted to rest, but that was not an option.

"Hardest choices required the strongest wills."

If he agree with that statement, Hela would expose herself and then it would turn to a duel, ripping the planet apart before she gets defeated and Thanos propose to be his ally. Allowing her to kill Thor and then use the mind gem on her. Another avoidable, as long as he is careful with his words. He went into a fighting stance.

"You will find my will to be quite strong."

Thanos didnt answer, he looked up. That divergence didnt lead to any butterfly effects. Tony smashed a rocket piece down. From the low gravity well up in the sky to the high one where Thanos was standing. Explosion with space stone, check. Reality change check. Bats flying into Ironman. Hela jumping up and in front of the bats a single swing of her sword caused all the bats to drop dead. An eerie sensation of cold death left lingering on the hot planet.

Iron man made a loop while the assault from the others processed. Webbed eyes, and Loki using the temporary blindness to try to stab Thanos in the neck. The target shifted and the knife was left to cut into the shirt instead of the skin. Check. No blood yet.

He went in. Block one punch, second punch he couldnt block even if he wanted, it was too strong.

The cloak took action flying him up to save him from hitting the ground and his head. Fainting would be a horrible thing right now. He created stepping stones for Star lord just in the nick of time for the man to plant a bomb. Check.

A portal not of his own opened for Star lord to jump in. Loki, lessening the load. Check.

"Stop his hand form closing." The cloak rushed to obey and the moment it did he start to send spiderman to punch and kick, unbalancing Thanos further. He was grabbed and stepped on. Check. 7625841 ways to lose left.

Hela launched herself onto Thanos. the mad titan forced to turn allowing Spiderrman to escape from under his boot, as Hela was throwing sword after sword at Thanos, ever so often getting close to deal a swing herself. He gripped on the cloak and pulled it off, using the space stone to turn the swords back as a rain onto Hela. She had to sprint away from the assault, just as Tony was starting his assault on the target.

Check and check.

Strange felt briefly like when he operated again, checking millions of possible things that could go wrong and accounting for them. Nostalgic memory fueling his motivation.

Fire of the explosion absorbed by the power stone and released back at Tony. Check. Just like checking a pulse and blood pressure. Only left the soul stone activation. Time stone would be used on earth. And with Vision the mind stone was constantly being used. Spiderman cut the fire, another portal opening to catch the boy and place him on a high position from where he can swing off again. Thanos releases a wave of energy around him and knock over Loki, the invisibility the trickster used vanishing. He would die right there if this happened any moment earlier.

Nebula enters the scene. Crashing into Thanos just as he was raising his hand to release the stone energy and kill Loki.

Check.

Nebula didnt take a second of waiting as she attacked Thanos. "You should have killed me!"

"Would be a waste of parts!"

One swing, second swing, third swing Loki binding spell around Thanos gauntlet, allowing her forth swing "Where!"

Fifth swing "Is!"

And six swing "She!?" before Thanos broke thought the spell and send Nebula flying.

Stephen turn. Casting the binding spell.

Check.

"Nebula." Loki said.

"Loki." Nebula answered.

"We really should stop meeting like this." Loki spoke with a passing smirk.

"Agree." Nebula gave a curt nod.

Loki was helping Neubla up before turning back to the plan. Slight difference, he will save the three seconds of wasted time in the second round. After they failed to pull it off.

All were taking their positions, Hela used a long chained sword to bind Thanos arm just as Star lord bind one of Thanos legs had to wait for spiderman to grow extra legs before he dropped her. Drax to keep the other leg in place.

And now.

Mantis dropped onto Thanos shoulder and Loki slides under the titan arm to spin and reach out to touch Thanos forehead. His other hand moved to rest on top of Mantis hand who was holding onto the sides of Thanos head. It was needed so they sync up their mind manipulation magic. Stephen didnt tug on the bind he created, that would have strained the bind into breaking, freeing Thanos too early.

It worked, Check. Now they were down to exact 5 million of loses. The odds were starting to look up.

"Did it work?"

"Be quick he is strong."Mantis spoke, her voice reflecting the stain.

"Did you awaited a baby. Just focus!" Loki grunted, sounding just as strained, blue was starting to creep up Lokis neck, but that he didnt notice focused on the mind spell. If the frost giants skin reaches Mantis before the right moment had already passed, the frostbite would free Thanos. Star lord and Nebula would die moments later.

Strange was slowly counting, he knew he cannot stop this, as every possibility to stop this caused the final snap to come even faster and with greater loses. With less heroes left alive, if any. Spiderman shifted side to help Tony pulling off the gauntlet. Stay calm, Stephen reminded himself, if he appears upset Hela would always choose to kill Star lord. Stay collected. This is the only way, it has to happen this way. He saw what would happen if he knock out Star lord.

Spiderman would try to put on the glove and as he wasnt the one who paid the sacrifice to the soul gem, he would be punished. His being unmade as if he never even existed to begin with. As he never was born. And after that Thanos win again. Even easier as that time there isnt even Ironman there to stop him. He didnt know what erasing the boy existence does exactly to the world, he couldnt waste time to delve deeper in that path as it as well only meant it was a lose.

Star Lord braged, check. Then he asked the question. "Where is Gamora?"

Dont interrupt, Stephen stayed passive. Check. If he didnt Thanos would stay too long on the planet. Wakanda army would lose their battle. Only survivor at the end of that path would be Bruce.

"Mine Gamora." Thanos responded and Loki hissed. The blue covering half his face.

"Where is she?!"

It was Loki who growled. "How dare he ...a father..."

Mantis whimpered. "He is anguish. Loki, just focus! Please."

"Right, for Thor... " Now his whole face was blue with intricate marks and red eyes. His hands had to yet become blue. Why couldnt Loki wear a tank top? So he could see how far the blue has come up his arm.

Strange looked over to Hela, she was getting annoyed holding him down. Check.

"Let him be in anguish. Where is Gamora!?"

"He mourns." Mantis answered, Star lord looked over to Nebula. Five... nebula stated what she knew... four. Tony removed his helmet... three.

"You have to cool it!" Two...

"Well this doesnt work." One... Hela let go off chain that held Thanos hand in place. Now free, in the same moment as Star lord screamed in pain. The freedom allowed Thanos to grip Loki by the neck, throwing him away. It was thanks to the blue skin Loki didnt die right there. Hela had already went around to the hand that was barely held down by Spiderman, Tony and his spell. Her sword swinging down. Stephen closed his eyes to avoid the strong light that was about to blind them for a brief moment.

Mantis was thrown off.

A scream. A light flash.

He opened his eyes. The scene felt still.

The moment of disbelieve settled. The scene frozen

It was spiderman who shrieked throwing the cut off arm by the elbow in his hands away. First one to react. Stark was standing a step away speechless.

"And thats is how you solve a problem." Hela declared, Star lord was still brimming with rage. It was in that strange moment when Stark looked over at him, searching his posture. Trying to judge if this is the end or not. Stephen carefully avoided meeting his eyes. He couldnt impact Tony decision. Not in that way at at least.

Hela was turning her back to Thanos who was laying on his knees curling onto his bleeding stump. It was so hard no to try anything right now. He knew better. What was to come, only Hela was able to survive. He would not.

Thanos on the ground winced. "Is that it." Accusatory tone from Star lord. "You are going to die asshole! You are nothing!"

"I had to..." Thanos whisper, broken and filled with sadness. In his mind he truly had to.

Hela flicked her finger throwing Star lord away just as he tried to pass her to shot Thanos. "His death is mine." She knows, that to have the gauntlet in this moment she would have to take the soul that performed the sacrifice. To have the soul stone obey her. As a goddess of death she knew how to handle souls.

"Are you crazy!" Tony spoke worriedly looking where Star lord landed.

"I no longer care about your lives, your all served your purpose. I won this fight. I simply gone for the arm, and off it went."

"...You should have gone for the head. " Thanos spoke, voice filled with confidence that he won. Hela had no chance to even turn around as the full might of the power stone was pushed in her. Strange saw this countless of times as well. He felt sorry that he had to allow this as he knew the pain of that as well, in the few paths he tried to warn her, or push her out the way. Methodically trying everything that came to his mind. Or at least watching all the possibilities that tried everything that could come to his mind... The gauntlet was dented, exactly where the sword really hit. The reality and soul gem pulsing in unison. Thats how he avoided it. The soul gem gave him power to resist, so shifting his body just enough the sword never hit his flesh, the reality stone telling them all the story they wanted to believe.

It was the same with using a portal to cut his hand or head off, the soul gem would protect him from such magic annulling it and the reality stone would cast the diversion.

Hela body was sent flying, her magic vanishing as half her body was now exposed to be just bones. Spiderman jumped to catch the flying woman. Unaware that, the choice just took him out the range of the moon about to fall. The chaos started again. Now was the time to get those few seconds back Loki wasted to greet Nebula. He acted just a bit faster.

He attacked one spell after another, from each shaving a second off to meet the timeline to its perfection, he knew when he came to the multiplication spell it will fail. Still he went with the motion, he had to let Thanos get to him. His heartbeat was madly chest actually felt pain from it. Still feeling those fingers wrap around his neck... Panic, tunnel vision, his senses focusing down to the touch around his neck. There were four hundred twenty one paths in which Thanos snap his neck, depending on the wrong tone of voice chose. And that one time they were going with the plan to kill him first. The empty metal eye, that housed the time gem once crumbled in the purple hand.

"...Never used the greatest weapon."

The words ringed in his ears. Thanos send him off flying, he hit the ground hard. His vision swayed... His senses returned in a flur back to him, the panic being wrestled under control. Oh, he did use his greatest weapon, thats why he knows...He hated this part. But this was needed. If he didnt get hurt, his words to come soon would not mean anything. Not be enough to spare Tony. Would not be considered honest enough, and in that case they lose... the conversation reached his ears. His ears starting to work again.

"Stark."

"You know me?"

"I do. You are not the only one cursed with knowledge."

Fear. Down to half a million of possible loses and the one he strive for. Every future path that held those words made Strange fear that Thanos knew about his plans, about pushing the one he found. That he would sabotage the path to ensure his own victory. He had to trust on all the paths that he did saw that it was not the case.

Then on the other hand, the cursed person may not even be Thanos, he may talk of someone completely else. He will not assume what he knows as that arrogance lead to several other loses.

Stephen forced his eyes open. Just in time to see with his own eyes the deciding moment.

"All that for a drop of blood" Check. Tony was the first to draw the blood. Even with Hela, her pride stood in the way.

Down to two thousands three hundred eighty seven .

Tony wasnt giving up. The blade he made, was caught, broken off and used against him. Check.

"You have my respect Stark." Saying anything too early, will lead to failure. "The half of humanity that will still be alive, I hope they remember you."

Three... two... Thanos raised his hand to eliminate Tony. Vividly, with his perfect memory he recalled it always be in a explosion of beautiful blue sparks. Nearly like electricity shining in the air, before spreading in the wind like glowing dust. Illogical. He wondered in those moments if Tony felt any pain?

Now!

"Stop!" How glad he was his voice didnt give up on him. His deeper breathing helped. He had Thanos attention. He felt like a puppet on strings of his own creation.

"You asked me about mercy. Spare his life." Take a measured breath. Adjust the path back from the small divergence from the beginning. Check. "And I will give you the stone." And now truly look in his eyes. If he avoids eye contact now, he will assume to be a trick. Let him see you. Let him glimpse into your soul.

"No tricks." Does he know? Can he see its all a trick, all a farce, moving with the motion like a dancing marionette. Truthful yet nothing but a play. On stings he himself made to dance to a well revised script. It has to be this way. It has to, it has to. Maybe he should have become a actor. He shook his head to clear it as well to confirm there were no tricks. Not closing his eyes. So Thanos could see the true distress storming behind his own eyes. Under the porcelain controlled face. His hands shook.

"Dont." Stark barely wheezed the word out. He wanted to tell him to shut up, but Stephen knew it would be the wrong thing to do. Maybe Hela was right, maybe his sanity did went...or why else would be such a mess? Unable to handle, yet still holding up the burden. If he did not, no one else would. He summoned the time stone out of hiding. Hoping the sacrifice he was performing was truly reaching the soul stone. Two hundred twenty five tries and pathways that would lead to failure, if he kept holding onto the stone. If he tried to use it now. He forced himself to let go. Wishing with his whole heart that with this they will get to the one path.

So close.

Watching it float to the other stones was... sad. The stone grew on him... Absurd. Focus, count. No room for open weakness. Calling it back are the ten paths that lead to his soul being punished and lose scenarios.

It clicked in the glove, and it hurt feeling the time stone connection completely break off.

"You idiot!"

Two figures attacked Thanos, Star lord and Loki, raining blasts of the magic and gun variant. Check. He leaned his head against the wall he end up leaning onto. It was fine now. The hardest part is over.

Down to one hundredth paths exactly, 1% chance to not lose.

Thanos raised his hand and fulfilled his promise by retreating. The soul stone will therefore ensure Tony survives in the coming dusting.

He felt as if a fever was raging his body. He breathed fully. Trying to make sure he remembers every single moment he was left with... making peace. Two more conversation to carry out to drop the number of paths down to two. He died countless of times against Dormammu, so why was this time feeling so much harder? Death is death, always the same in the end. Well... nearly always the same just this time there will not be even a body left. Neither the security of knowing the time stone will loop the time back.

Just death. He opened his eyes focusing on the people in front of him. Carefully deliberately blink, to ensure he was still in the now, not lost in memories of the path. Anchor, just to be save.

His heart skipped a beat.

"Where is he!" Star lord shouted.

"My guess, on earth to collect the last stone... Hope Bruce managed to do something. Preferably hid or actually destroy the stone...but the chances for that..." Loki hang his head.

"Did we just lose..." Star lord asked the trickster and Strange mentally prepared himself for the wrath. Push all of it down, and hold to the script. A puppet doing their last performance.

Until their strings get cut.


	13. Bow to your audience

Did we just lose? All of this for naught.

Loki didnt know what to do. He was spent, too tired to even try to find a branch to get him somewhere familiar. Even if he could do that getting to earth would take too long. The echoing of Gamora last moments still sticking in his mind. Feeling the love for his child as he chose to kill her. Sacrifice of his own to save the greater good. He felt disgusting, he wanted to purge those feelings out of himself. They were not his! He would never ever behave like that. The pure love for your child, the one he himself always wanted Odin to show to him... The vivid memory of her fall of the cliff. He knew about her only from Nebulas stories.

His mind was unruly.

His own moments of falling into the void with Odin watching. Did it haunt him as well?

It was too close to home... even so he now understood why Thanos picked him up from nothingness of the void and gave him the life back. He truly loved in his twisted way, and if it shows how he forgot the difference between creating and destroying? Did it matter when he sincerely tried? Loki actually found himself logging for the grief of the Valkyrie he experience just ... a day or two ago? Was it really at most two days ago? Was it really at most just three days ago that he ate dinner with the Grandmaster? Why did he even leave the man side? He told him, as long as he stays with him he will be safe and loved. Truly loved, the grandmaster would steers. No longer lost...Finally found. \

Ah yes.

Thor.

It was always for Thor.

Always because of Thor.

It was Stark weak voice that snapped him back to reality. Something to distract himself with.

"Why did you do this?" And the man answering was much more acceptable target to punch and strangle.

"We are in the end game now."

Loki growled and launched himself at the doctor. Raising him by the collar of the shirt to his legs. The cloak in warning flattered at him. He didnt give a coin for it threats. Allowing his magic to nearly primarily snarl in return, showing its teeth to the piece of enchanted cloak. It made it hesitated. Good finally someone was getting it!

"You are the most infuriating being I meet! This... this is treason! I should kill you on the spot for this!"

Strange smiled at him. Dare he smile, that sad smile! Loki continued yelling. "I was right we shouldnt have left the stone with you!"

"Loki, you gave up a stone to spare Thor life. " Loki twitched. His own face betraying him. He lowered the man down, the red cape the only thing keeping him from falling over. He never mentioned it, or? Did he? He couldnt remember...

"It not the same." Loki reasoned, deflecting. His grief filled mind trying to slow down the spiral of despair and hopelessness. Trying to free itself form the haunting emotions that were not his own. Stopping the thoughts that kept on wondered if Odin felt such a strong grief at his passing. Either time. Asgard needed their king. He had to save Thor.

"Of course not..." The amatuer voice dropped to a whisper, Loki all but reading the mans lips. "...like space and time are not the same, and yet." Loki was speechless his words falling him, realizing than in millions upon millions the man had to have seen this outcome as well. He had to...

And played into it...

Could he wanted this outcome?

He wasnt sure if the idea was insane enough to work or simply a mad mans dreams. But... his opportunistic optimistic self gripped onto the possibility. Just the small chance that this may turn out for good, maybe the galaxy had a chance... Strange swayed and fall onto Loki who sighed and wrapped an arm around the man to help him move. Hearing him say a number from all things. "24 left."

Minutes? Second? Hours? Years? Lives? He opted to not question him just yet as he moved him where he saw everyone getting together.

They moved to be closer together. Like a lost flock. Hela was walking, rejecting the helpful spider help. Kind of amusing seeing the boy hovering over the half death lady ready to jump to and away from her depending if she lash out or fall over. It was the first time he got to see the true extent of her wounds earned from Ragnarok. Half her body was ... dead. Hand and leg and half her face nothing but bone, flesh burnt and rotting away. He felt a need to comfort her. The more rational part of him yelled in fear how she wasnt dead. How powerful was Odin first born? He noticed the weak magic threads. Pure Asgardian magic. She still didnt realized it... didnt understood that her people were the one keeping her alive... The one who had so many heavy loses in this week, because of her, because of Thanos...because of their failure...

She noticed his staring and looked at him, her one eye nothing but burnt black, the other a raised eyebrow. She didnt show pain, but she must be in a lot of it.

Loki hand raised, summoning some of his magic, scraping at the bottom of his own reserverse, offering it to her without a word. A bit of healing, a drop to soften the wave of pain. A small green ball, truly pathetic. Was he that spend? He was so spent, his mind so overloaded and thorn...She huffed turning away, somehow it didnt felt rude, and he let the magic sink back into him, lowering his hand. A strange understanding reached where he knew she was not yet dying, and didnt need the kindness even when she was way past her own magic reserves...

Strategically seeing having even one magic user capable of spells work was needed as long as they were on enemy territory even when the battle was over. Oh, how he hated the thinking of warriors at times...

Nebula approached him. "You are bad at staying death."

"Aye...You are as blue as ever."

She nodded, familiar words between them. He wanted to ask, he wanted to talk. Talking helped him. Story telling helping him. He knew better... respecting the needs of the flock... would Thor call them his shield brothers... The people around him...he stayed silent allowing them the time of shock to pass. He could stay just a bit more silent, he could postpone his own needs. Even so he meet the blue girls eyes and smiled. He was thankful for her understanding.

As he was still keeping Hela in the corner of his eye, he noticed when her head jerked too fast up, her one good eye turning briefly black. The magic threads around her bones losing on intensity. Flickering to an even weaker state. He understood why, and it hurt him to know even after so much died, and half on the arc were slaughtered half more were going to Valhalla...like he feared. The poor empathy in the group started looking even more distressed.

As having Thanos emotions in her head wasnt bad enough... He would have liked to get to know her better.

"Something is happening" Mantis whispered. Not something, someone.

"Death I can hear them ... many. " Hela responded.

So the earth team failed... quite fast... Is Thor?... How many Asgardians will be left after this? Will there even be ten of them?

"Steady there." Tony said to Star lord, making Loki look up. Seeing it... dust... He looked over to the wizard doctor. He wanted to snap at him but ... his edges were starting to dust as well.

"Loki, Tony...It was the only way"

"The only way to what?" Loki asked thought his own words lacked the bite he would have wanted to put in. He still tried to give a glare to him, only to watch the man mount the word two, never getting a real answer as the man dramatically vanished together with his clock... did the cloak count as alive to be dusted along its master? It didnt mattered, as more have started to vanish. The guardians in a single breath and the spider as well...

A father losing his child, Thanos voice vibrated in his mind. He shock his head trying to rid it. Staring at his own feet. Hearing the boy whimpers of I dont want to go. No one wanted to go...

The boy was gone. Just as he wondered who else would follow he saw it. The tips of his fingers were...

Well... he liked dramatics. Somehow dying once more didnt scare him like the anticipation of who would be left. He started to recognize the feeling of distance as the feeling he always get when his body is dying. The time felt stretched but it didnt stand still like usually... Maybe because there was no Thor to see him dying this time?

Did he even want that thick headed annoying brother of him to be here...

Yes, if only to know he was spared. He survived. Now he would not know... Unless he trust the crazy idea of the tesseract sparing Thor life... because he sacrificed it for him... He liked that idea. Thor will live. Yes. Definitely. Absolutely. Thor and Tony both will be spared. What a combo of people to be left. Memories of watching them fight that first time in the woods. It was a funny memory out of contest, he decided to keep it that way.

Will he this time move on? Will he for once walk to Valhalla, or did dying like this didnt count as honorable enough?... A sensation of tiredness overcome him. He wanted to see his mother again...

Loki observed the people around him.

Nebula was still looking where once the guardians were, not yet noticing him.

Hela was looking at Tony, she appeared angry, disappointed... Lonely. Lokis eyes slid down to where Stark was half kneeling. The grief on his face... Loki stopped those emotion.

This was the faces of broken things. It wasnt the best audience out there to appreciate his skills, but whatever. In the end they are now walking the way the wizard left, even so he, Loki, will go out how he wanted.

It was strange when time from slow and lazy snapped in a beating rhythm mercilessly fast as he crossed the two steps to Tony. Gripping the man chin and forcing him to look at him. There were better emotions than grief. Like anger. The eyes filled with tears to yet fall had to yet see anything further then the boy he just lost. Memories of the first time he grabbed the man coming to Loki. How poetic tit would be to close the circle. Sadly there was no window to throw him out again.

 _Loki, you could grow but you always go in circles._

How true your words are Thor. In his defense circles are nice shapes. Loki could feel the wide mad grin appearing on his face just as his other hand was vanishing. Well he already was left with just moments.

"Stark!" he called demanding and making the man eyes focus on him. His words a playful tone of confidence. Breaking the mood of sadness and grief.

"We couldnt protect it, you be damn well sure to avenge it, Stark." His other hand vanished as well freeing the man from his grip. Allowing him to swing a bit forward, able to see Loki vanishing as well. Loki kept his cocky grin on, this was fine. He wanted his last expression to be exactly that. Seeing the man lip twitch, knowing those were his words once upon time...

Lokies body was no more.

He was gone and he felt odd... Somehow this death was... not the same. Maybe because there was nothing left to even prove he ever existed... His ghost self moved his head slowly and heavily, to where Nebula stepped closer looking at the spot where he vanished. Lips parted as if saying something. Hela looking directly at him, before she turned her head looking at Nebula. Her healthy hand placed on the woman shoulder.

A glance shared between them.

Strange, the world felt oddly thigh. Like there was nothing but those three people... And it kept on shrinking.

The light of the dying sun somehow dimming, was it the sunset?

No...

Darkness grew and Loki closed his eyes. Accepting. He did all he could. Shrinking. Sinking. The last he heard was his sister far away voice. "... I truly failed... I lost..."

So this was it...

THE END

?

* * *

Well that is, folks.

Thanks for reading this story. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed it

Especial shout out and thanks to Dexter, responsible for inspiring several moments. ;)

I am proud i finished the

Keep a look out as a new work may appear, for all the curious enough to take the ride.


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